Bethlehem celebrated Christmas again on Tuesday night, marking the city’s first full Christmas observance in two years. The large Christmas tree in Manger Square was lit, choirs sang, and worshippers gathered for evening processions at the Church of the Nativity.
The celebrations had been canceled for the past two seasons amid war, security concerns, and the collapse of tourism, the backbone of the city’s economy. Hotels closed, shops shuttered, and Bethlehem became what local leaders described as a ghost city.
Maher Nicola Canawati, mayor of Bethlehem, said the return of Christmas carried a message beyond the holiday itself.
“I think our message has reached the hearts of the world. And our message is simply that we are people. We are human beings that love life," he said.
He added, “The city was, unfortunately, a ghost city for the past two years. But after what we have done, reigniting the spirit of Christmas, we have reignited hope in the city.”
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SHINE AGAIN IN THE CITY OF NATIVITY
At the Church of the Nativity, priests said the return of Christmas was about more than tradition. It was about survival.
Father Issa Thaljieh, a priest at the Nativity Church, said, “We’re still actually gathering around this Christmas tree, and it’s actually give the people maybe some happiness, joyful, peaceful.”
He added, “I call the Bethlehem people the living stones, because the church itself means nothing if the people are not praying to keep it alive.”
Yet beneath the celebrations lies a deeper concern. According to data from the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, Bethlehem was 86 percent Christian in 1950. By 2017, Christians made up just 10 percent of the city. Many have left due to economic hardship, security fears, and unequal treatment under Palestinian Authority rule.
Still, local shopkeepers hoped the return of Christmas would bring visitors back.
Abood, a Bethlehem shopkeeper, said, “Merry Christmas for all over the world, from the birthplace.”
He added, “Come to Bethlehem. It’s very safe here. Come celebrate the Christmas here.”