Bethlehem, West Bank /PNN /
The procession of Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III arrived in Bethlehem on Tuesday afternoon to take part in the traditional Midnight Mass marking Christmas according to the Eastern Orthodox calendar, as part of a series of religious events linked to the Christmas season.
The procession was received in Manger Square by Bethlehem Governor Mohammad Taha Abu Alia, D.Ramzi Khoury, head of the Presidential Higher Committee for Church Affairs, Tourism and Antiquities Minister Hani Al-Hayek, Bethlehem Mayor Maher Qanawati, Bethlehem Police Director Brig. Murad Qandah, Bethlehem district commander Col. Mohammad Kaid Zaqzouq, along with clergy, scout groups and members of the local Christian community.
The reception included official and public ceremonies in line with established church protocol, attended by a range of Palestinian national and religious figures.
D.Khoury, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Executive Committee, said Palestinian celebrations of Christmas carry a political and moral message to the international community. He questioned what he described as the absence of international justice in enabling Palestinians to attain their legitimate rights, foremost the establishment of an independent state.
Speaking to Palestine News Network (PNN), Khoury said that Palestine, from where the message of Jesus Christ calling for peace, glory and justice originated, continues to urge the world to stand by it and to protect the land of holiness and nativity from Israeli occupation policies.
Bethlehem Governor Abu Alia said he hoped the coming Christmas would bring goodness and peace amid what Palestinians are enduring from what he described as systematic violations. He said Israel continues its repressive policies against Palestinians, alongside ongoing settler attacks carried out under the protection of the army.
Despite this, Abu Alia told PNN that Bethlehem, the city of peace and birthplace of Jesus Christ, is sending a clear message to peace-loving nations worldwide that the Holy Land still requires a serious international stance to support its people in their struggle for freedom and liberation from occupation.
Bethlehem Mayor Qanawati said residents mark the holidays with a spirit of joy and resilience. He pointed, in comments to PNN, to his recent visit to the football pitch in Aida refugee camp that Israel has threatened to demolish.
Qanawati said the visit carried a symbolic message that Palestinian children deserve joy and the right to play like children everywhere, adding that attempts by the occupation to strip Palestinians of daily life will not succeed in breaking their will or denying them their natural right to live.
The scene in Bethlehem reflects Palestinians’ determination to hold on to life and continue celebrating despite deep wounds, turning religious occasions into platforms to renew calls for freedom and a just peace in the face of a prolonged occupation.
