Quiet Christmas as Palestine’s Christians grieve for Gaza
Bethlehem (Quds News) – In a festive season traditionally filled with joy, numerous Palestinian Christians, both in Bethlehem and beyond, find themselves overwhelmed by feelings of helplessness, pain, and anxiety amid Israel’s deadly onslaught on Gaza.
Instead of celebrating, some are grieving, actively advocating for an end to the war, striving to secure the safety of their loved ones, or seeking solace in the Christmas message of hope.
No Christmas during the Genocide in Palestine, from a demonstration in front of Shinjuku Station in Japan. pic.twitter.com/FYByNc3OsO
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) December 24, 2023
Suzan Sahori, the executive director of Bethlehem Fair Trade Artisans, an organization specializing in crafts, plans to pray for peace and justice.
Although she is currently safe, she can’t shake off the worry that this might change. Mixed with gratitude for her safety is anger, as she questions the divine allowance of the death of innocent children: “The joy in my heart is stolen,” she laments. “I’m mad… I hope God forgives me.”
In more joyful times, the Christmas spirit in the Bethlehem area is unparalleled, expressed through songs echoing in streets adorned with lights, vibrant markets showcasing decorations, and the infectious enthusiasm of children, families, and tourists capturing moments with towering Christmas trees.
However, this year, the atmosphere is noticeably quieter and more somber. Tree lighting ceremonies, once a highlight, have been canceled.
The heads of churches in Jerusalem have issued a call for congregations to refrain from “any unnecessarily festive activities.” Instead, they encourage a focus on the spiritual essence of Christmas, emphasizing “fervent prayers for a just and lasting peace for our beloved Holy Land.”
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has reported the tragic death of two Christian women in Gaza due to Israeli sniper fire, just days before Christmas.
"While you shop, bombs are falling on Gaza!" Thousands of protesters chants slogans as they shut down the famous Oxford Street in London, one of the world's busiest shopping streets, on one of the most crowded days of the year, just ahead of Christmas. calling for a boycott of… pic.twitter.com/Urrw9QfOqu
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) December 23, 2023
Approximately 50,000 Christian Palestinians reside in the West Bank and Jerusalem, with an additional 1,300 in Gaza, according to the US State Department’s international religious freedom report for 2022.
Some Christian Palestinians are also citizens of “Israel,” while many live in diaspora communities.
In Bethlehem, Reverend Munther Isaac, the pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church, describes tearful Sunday services. Anxiety is pervasive, prompting some to pack up and leave.
Isaac was part of a delegation that traveled to Washington to advocate for a ceasefire. A letter, signed by various Christian pastoral leaders in Bethlehem and addressed to President Joe Biden, implores him to help bring an end to the war. The message is clear: “We want a constant and comprehensive ceasefire. Enough death. Enough destruction. … This is our call and prayer this Christmas.”
Isaac’s church has chosen a poignant symbol for its nativity scene: a baby Jesus figure wrapped in a black-and-white Palestinian keffiyeh, lying amidst rubble.
Creating this display was not just a visual task; it was an emotional and spiritual experience. Isaac explains, “We see Jesus in every child that’s killed, and we see God’s identifying with us in our suffering.”
The scene serves as a powerful expression of the profound connection between the Christmas story and the harsh reality faced by many Palestinian Christians during this challenging time.
