People gather next to the Christmas tree at Manger Square on the day of Christmas events with Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, on Christmas Eve, in the Old City of Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, December 24, 2025. REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma
Thousands of people gathered in Bethlehem’s Manger Square on Christmas Eve, bringing a renewed sense of holiday spirit to the city and other Christian sites across the Holy Land after two years of subdued celebrations amid the war in Gaza.
The city revered by Christians as the birthplace of Jesus had previously canceled public Christmas festivities.
This year, however, the towering Christmas tree returned to Manger Square, replacing a wartime nativity display that had depicted the infant Jesus amid rubble and barbed wire, symbolizing the suffering in Gaza.
Families, pilgrims and worshippers filled the square, marking a cautious but meaningful return to traditional celebrations. The atmosphere reflected both resilience and hope, as the community sought moments of light following months of conflict and uncertainty.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and the highest-ranking Catholic leader in the Holy Land, officially opened the celebrations during the traditional procession from Jerusalem to Bethlehem.
In his remarks, he called for “a Christmas full of light,” underscoring messages of peace, compassion and solidarity in a region long affected by conflict.
