Thousands flock to Bethlehem for Christmas
BETHLEHEM : Thousands of Palestinians and tourists were
flocking to the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Monday to mark Christmas
at the site where many believe Jesus Christ was born. This year's
celebration carries special significance for many Palestinians, coming
after 12 months in which their status on the world stage has been
significantly upgraded.
Just last month the United Nations granted them the status of
non-member observer state, and earlier this year they won their first
UNESCO World Heritage Site designation -- for Bethlehem's Church of the
Nativity. The designation also included part of a pilgrimage route in
Bethlehem, along which the traditional Christmas procession headed by
the Latin Patriarch Fuad Twal will march later Monday.
Thousands of tourists are expected to join Palestinian residents of
the city -- Muslim and Christian alike -- in lining the route to welcome
the procession, which includes dozens of musicians and scout troupes
from across the West Bank.
The parade will culminate in Manger Square, in front of the Church of
the Nativity, which is built over the site where Christians believe Mary
gave birth to Jesus in a cattle shed.
Several hours later, Twal, the most senior Roman Catholic bishop in
the Middle East, will deliver the traditional midnight mass to the
faithful. Scout troupes were already marching in the square to the
rhythm of drums and bagpipes mid-morning, while hundreds of tourists
looked on.
The mass is traditionally attended by top officials from the
Palestinian Authority including President Mahmud Abbas and Prime
Minister Salam Fayyad.
Last week, in his pre-Christmas press conference, Twal praised the UN
decision to upgrade Palestinian status, calling it a “step towards peace
and stability in the region.” “Israel can now negotiate on equal
state-to-state terms for the good of all,” he told reporters, saying the
Palestinian issue remained “the cause of all conflicts in the region,”
and urging US President Barack Obama to take “immediate action” to push
the peace process forward.
But Xavier Abu Eid, an advisor to the Palestine Liberation
Organisation, said this year's celebration of Christmas would be
particularly meaningful for Palestinians nonetheless.
“At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of the prince of hope and the
prince of peace and the Palestinian people have been hoping for 64 years
to achieve a just peace,” he told AFP.
AFP |