In . – 12.24.2022 16:13 (act. 12.24.2022 16:13)
Bethlehem: Christmas Celebrations in the Holy Land. ©AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean
Christians around the world celebrated Christmas in the Holy Land on Saturday. The traditional Christmas procession arrived in Belém in the afternoon.
The wagon train, led by the head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, left Jerusalem. The Patriarch walked the last part of the way to Manjedoura Square in Bethlehem. There he was received by Christian representatives.
Christmas procession in Bethlehem
Tens of thousands of visitors are expected in Belém at Christmas
Unlike the last couple of years, when strict corona restrictions still applied, tens of thousands of visitors are expected over the Christmas holidays. Israel’s Ministry of Tourism prepared about 120,000 pilgrims from all over the world.
A giant Christmas tree topped with a star adorns Manger Square in front of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The small West Bank town is revered as the birthplace of Jesus. Pizzaballa would later celebrate midnight mass there.
proportion of Christians dropped
In their Christmas message, representatives of various churches in the Holy Land complained about increased attacks on Christians and discrimination. “This despondent atmosphere has created hopelessness, especially among our Christian youth,” the message said. They no longer felt welcome in the land of their ancestors and many of them left the region. Therefore, the proportion of Christians continued to fall.
Of the estimated five million Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, less than two percent are Christian. According to the latest information from the Israel Bureau of Statistics, around 185,000 Arab Christians live in Israel, representing about 1.9% of the population. Israel has a total population of around 9.6 million, about three-quarters of whom are Jewish.