For Christians in Gaza, Christmas will be very, very quiet, but more meaningful than ever…
JERUSALEM — The festive Christmas trees, festive fairs and colorful lights that are an integral part of Advent and Christmas in the Holy Land will be absent this year not only in Gaza, but also in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth and Amman.
At a time when the Hamas-Israel war is causing deaths and mass displacement, the leaders of the various churches in the Holy Land have asked their communities to give up public Christmas festivities. The solidarity initiative began on November 5 in Jordan, where leaders of the country’s Council of Churches asked local Christians to celebrate Christmas at home and in church through prayer.
Shortly afterward, the patriarchs and church leaders of Jerusalem issued a similar statement statement calling on Palestinians and other Christians in the Holy Land to focus on the spiritual aspects of Christmas and to pray for the victims of war and those in dire need.
“Thousands of innocent civilians, including women and children, died or were seriously injured. Many others mourn the loss of their homes, their loved ones or the uncertain fate of those dear to them. Yet despite our repeated calls for a humanitarian ceasefire and a de-escalation of violence, the war continues,” Church leaders said.
Gaza
For Christians in Gaza, Christmas will be very, very quiet, but more meaningful than ever, according to Father Gabriel Romanelli of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, pastor of the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza.
“It’s really a difficult time,” Father Romanelli said during a interview with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
“It is of course important not to have big parties” for Christmas, he said. “It is a sign of solidarity and respect towards those who have lost loved ones, towards those who are injured.”
On October 18, Israeli airstrikes damaged the compound of the St. Porphyrios Orthodox Church in northern Gaza. Eighteen Christians taking refuge in the church were killed and 30 were injured. The homes of at least 60 families were damaged or destroyed. Of the 1,017 Christians who lived in Gaza before the war, 50 moved to southern Gaza and around 80 were able to leave Gaza because they have dual nationality or obtained a visa. Some 650 Christian refugees live in the Church of the Holy Family, and around 250 others find refuge in the Orthodox church.
Even though joy and food are scarce in Gaza, it is more important than ever to pray, Father Romanelli said. “We started thinking spiritually. The birth of Jesus is at the center of our celebrations. We will therefore organize different spiritual activities for our parishioners, in order to help them prepare spiritually for the birth of Jesus in our hearts and our lives.
Franciscan Father Amjad Sabara, priest of St. Jerusalem Parish. Savior Church, said the annual colorful procession to Manger Square – which is one of the highlights of Bethlehem’s Christmas celebrations – will be very modest this year. Tens of thousands of locals and pilgrims normally attend the event. This year there are no pilgrims.
“There will be no parade, no scouts and their drums,” Father Sabara explained, adding that Baba Noel (Santa Claus) may not be present this year. Instead, local clergy will discreetly accompany the Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa at the Church of the Nativity, where the regular Christmas service will be held.
“Christmas will be more spiritual this year,” said the priest. “The novena we pray will focus on peace and how to live with the challenges we are currently experiencing. People seek God and pray for others. The only thing we can give to Gaza today is our prayers. »
Sadness and fear
Auxiliary Bishop William Shomali of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said that everyone in the Holy Land is full of sadness and fear and that the Church is sensitive to their suffering.
“As a Church, we have empathy with people. People are sad, in Israel as in Palestine. There are deaths and suffering because of what happened on October 7 and what is happening now in Gaza: the destruction, the homelessness. We cannot celebrate while people are living outside, their homes damaged or destroyed,” said Bishop Shomali.
The war has also affected Christians outside Gaza.
With virtually no Christian pilgrimages since mid-October, tens of thousands of Christians – particularly in Bethlehem but also in Jerusalem and Nazareth – are experiencing very difficult financial difficulties, said Archbishop Shomali. And after the October 7 Hamas massacre that left 1,200 dead and many injured, Israel canceled the work permits of tens of thousands of Palestinian workers from Gaza and the West Bank, who earned wages much higher than those they received. ‘they could win on the other side. from the checkpoint.
Despite the many challenges posed by the war, Bishop Shomali said: “We continue to sing; in church we continue to sing, celebrate and remember the message of Christmas.
