Celebrations are resuming across the West Bank as a fragile truce holds in the Gaza Strip, where hundreds of thousands of people are facing the winter in makeshift tents and remain in urgent need of basic assistance.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, recently returned from a visit to the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza—the enclave’s only Catholic parish, where he conveyed the closeness and solidarity of the Catholic Church—opened the Christmas celebrations in Jesus’ birthplace by making the traditional procession from Jerusalem to Bethlehem.
Upon his arrival in Manger Square, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem said he brought greetings from Gaza’s small Christian community, which, he noted, is animated by a strong desire to rebuild. He also expressed the hope for a Christmas marked by light.
The resumption of Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem carries significance on several levels. On the one hand, there is hope that the U.S.-backed peace initiative that led to the ceasefire may offer Palestinians the opportunity to move forward with reconstruction plans. On the other hand, it revives expectations that Bethlehem’s residents may gradually return to work, as 85 per cent of local families depend directly or indirectly on tourism, which came to a halt during the war.
Hotel owners and staff, shopkeepers selling religious articles, taxi drivers, restaurant owners, and tour guides have seen their livelihoods largely disappear over the past two years. Bethlehem has been among the hardest-hit cities in the West Bank, lacking a strong industrial base, significant commercial activity, agricultural capacity, or a large public-sector workforce.
These difficulties are compounded by challenges affecting the wider West Bank, including Israel’s revocation of entry permits for most seasonal Palestinian workers to its territory and settlements, as well as the partial payment of salaries to Palestinian Authority employees.
Despite these hardships, the population continues to demonstrate resilience and hope. Speaking to Vatican Radio’s Jean-Charles Putzolu, Bethlehem’s Mayor, Maher Nicola Canawati, said that the renewed celebrations are meant to restore hope after a prolonged period of hardship.
Read more: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2025-12/bethlehem-christmas-pizzaballa-mayor-canawati-economy-peace.html
By Linda Bordoni and Jean-Charles Putzolu in Bethlehem | vaticannews
