Bethlehem Marks First Full Christmas Festivities Since Start of Gaza War

For the first time in more than two years, the city of Bethlehem — revered by Christians worldwide as the birthplace of Jesus — has welcomed back full Christmas celebrations, ending a period of muted observance brought on by the Gaza war that began in October 2023. Crowds of pilgrims, local families, clergy, and international visitors filled Manger Square on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, restoring a sense of joy and tradition to a city long overshadowed by conflict.

The return of festivities follows a fragile ceasefire in Gaza, where months of fighting had cast a somber pall over previous holiday seasons. Bethlehem’s celebrations in 2023 and 2024 were drastically scaled back or canceled altogether, with city leaders citing grief, instability, and the humanitarian crisis unfolding just 50 miles away. Bethlehem’s mayor described those years as marked by “a broken heart and a broken soul,” noting that the absence of Christmas cheer was deeply felt across the community.

This year, however, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. A towering Christmas tree once again dominated Manger Square — its first appearance since 2022 — surrounded by lights, decorations, and a bustling crowd of families and tourists. Hundreds of scouts in crisp uniforms marched through the square, playing Christmas hymns and traditional Palestinian music on bagpipes and drums, a sound that had been notably absent during the war years.

The traditional Christmas Eve procession from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, led by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, drew thousands. As he entered the city, crowds lined the narrow streets to greet him, many holding infants for a blessing. Addressing the assembled crowd, Pizzaballa called for “a Christmas full of light,” adding, “After two years of darkness, we need light” — a sentiment that resonated deeply with residents and visitors alike.

In Manger Square, a nativity display stood beneath the newly restored Christmas tree, accompanied by a sign reading, “From here, the light of the world was born,” a message that many interpreted as both spiritual and symbolic of renewed hope for the region’s future.

Despite the celebratory atmosphere, the mood was not without reflection. Many attendees acknowledged the ongoing hardships in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands remain displaced and living in makeshift shelters. The juxtaposition of joy and sorrow was evident in conversations throughout the square, with some describing the celebrations as “half joy, half sadness” — a return to tradition tempered by the realities of a region still healing from conflict.

Still, for Bethlehem’s residents and the global Christian community, the revival of Christmas festivities represented a meaningful step toward normalcy. Local shopkeepers reported a surge in visitors, offering a much-needed economic boost after years of downturn. Pilgrims expressed gratitude for the opportunity to celebrate in the city’s historic heart, and many locals said they hoped the renewed energy would carry into the new year.

As night fell on Christmas Eve, music echoed through the square, children danced beneath the lights, and the Church of the Nativity prepared for midnight Mass — a scene that, for the first time since the Gaza war began, felt whole again.