For the past two years — while the war in Gaza has been taking place — all Christmas celebrations have been canceled in Bethlehem, the town where Jesus was born.
Dec 09, 2025
Spectators gather in Nativity Square during a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Bethlehem on Dec. 6, 2025. | Credit: HAZEM BADER/AFP via Getty Images
By Francesca Pollio Fenton
For the past two years — while the war in Gaza has been taking place — all Christmas celebrations have been canceled in Bethlehem, the town where Jesus was born. However after the recent ceasefire, the famous town decided to have its Christmas celebrations return, starting with the lighting of the giant Christmas tree in front of the historic Church of the Nativity on December 6.
“It’s been a bad two years of silence; no Christmas, no jobs, no work,” Bethlehem Mayor Maher Canawati said in an interview with the BBC. “We’re all living here from tourism, and tourism was down to zero.”
He added: “Some may say it’s not appropriate and Despite the ceasefire, actions of war continue in the area. Father Gabriel Romanelli, the priest at Holy Family Church in Gaza, the only Catholic church in the area, shared on X that on the same day of the Bethlehem tree lighting a bomb went off approximately 200 meters (650 feet) from his parish. No one was injured.others say it’s appropriate, but deep inside my heart, I felt that this was the right thing to do because Christmas should never be stopped or canceled. This is the light of hope for us.”
On July 17, Romanelli sustained an injury to his leg during a bombing on his parish that left three dead and 15 injured, including himself.
“Thanks be to God more people weren’t harmed,” Romanelli said in an exclusive interview with EWTN on July 24.
He called the experience “shocking.”
“That iconic cross you’ve seen — it’s about 2 meters [6.5 feet] tall — was heavily damaged,” the priest said of the crucifix fixed atop the church structure.
“Shrapnel flew in all directions,” he recounted.
“The area is quite small, and while we hear bombings daily and metal fragments often fall, there hadn’t been such a severe incident since the war began,” Romanelli continued, adding: “The recent strike has left a deep mark.”
Beit Jala and Beit Sahour, two neighboring towns, will also be having Christmas tree lightings in the coming days. Hotels are also receiving more bookings from tourists as well as Palestinian citizens of Israel.
He called the experience “shocking.”
“That iconic cross you’ve seen — it’s about 2 meters [6.5 feet] tall — was heavily damaged,” the priest said of the crucifix fixed atop the church structure.
“Shrapnel flew in all directions,” he recounted.
“The area is quite small, and while we hear bombings daily and metal fragments often fall, there hadn’t been such a severe incident since the war began,” Romanelli continued, adding: “The recent strike has left a deep mark.”–CNA