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Christmas

Christmas in Palestine – Celebrations Limited to Religious Rituals
By Palestine Chronicle Staff Last year’s Christmas celebrations were also limited to religious rituals due to the ongoing genocide in Gaza, which Israel launched on October 7, 2023. Head of the Higher Presidential Committee […]

No ‘Merry Christmas’ with Genocide – World Stands with Gaza
By Palestine Chronicle Staff Acts of solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza continue to pour in from all over the world. Countless gestures from the streets of London to Christmas concerts in Italy, […]

Global Christian Leaders to Spend Christmas in Bethlehem in Solidarity with Palestinians
By Nurah Tape – The Palestine Chronicle A delegation of Christian leaders from around the world, including a cohort from South Africa, are to spend Christmas in Bethlehem in a demonstration of solidarity with […]

IN PHOTOS: Palestine’s Eastern Christians Celebrate Christmas
By Palestine Chronicle Staff The Palestinian Eastern Christian community celebrated Christmas on January 6, according to the Eastern calendar, throughout occupied Palestine. The midnight mass was held on Saturday in the St. Porphyrios Church […]

Greek Orthodox Patriarch Arrives in Bethlehem to Head Christmas Midnight Mass
The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, arrived at Bethlehem’s Manger Square on Friday, to lead the Christmas midnight mass, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. The Patriarch, who arrived from the patriarchate […]

IN PHOTOS: Palestinian Santa Clauses Brave the Waves in Gaza
By Palestine Chronicle Staff The Palestinian Sailing and Rowing Federation organized the ‘Santa Claus event on the seashore of Gaza City, in celebration of the holidays and the New Year. Many athletes from the […]

With Songs and Papa Noel Hats: Gaza Celebrates Christmas (PHOTOS)
By Palestine Chronicle Staff Palestinian Christians on Saturday performed prayers and celebrated the lighting of the Christmas tree in the Latin Monastery Church in Gaza City. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa was […]

Orthodox Patriarch in Jerusalem Says Palestinian Christians are Targeted by Israeli Groups
The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, warned that Christians in the holy land have become the target of repeated and continuous attacks by radical Israeli groups, especially in the holy city of Jerusalem. […]

Hamas Slams Israel for Preventing Gaza Christians from Traveling to Holy Sites for Christmas
The Palestinian group Hamas has slammed Israel for preventing Christians living in Gaza from visiting their holy places in Jerusalem and Bethlehem for Christmas, The New Arab reported. In a statement released Thursday, Hamas called […]

How A Boy Called Christmas Converted Me to the Politics of Greed
By Jonathan Cook This was the Christmas my young daughter finally cornered me into admitting that Father Christmas doesn’t exist. I felt a small pang of regret that she had taken another step towards graduating […]

American Muslims Extend Solidarity, Holiday Greetings to Palestine’s Christians (VIDEO)
By Palestine Chronicle Staff The American Muslim organization American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) extended its holiday greetings to the Palestinian Christian community in Palestine. In a video released on Christmas eve, AMP highlighted some […]

The Other (Side) – A Poem
By Timothy McCord I wonder if you wonder how it would feel if the boot were on the other foot; would it make you shudder to be that other that is me? To know […]

‘Hamas, Hamas, Hamas’: On Why the New York Times Stays Stuck in the Role of Grinch
By Benay Blend “Seven months after Hamas launched an 11-day war with Israel,” writes Patrick Kingsley, “the deadlock between Israel and the Islamist movement has returned to roughly where it was before the fighting started.” […]

Palestinians in Bethlehem Celebrate Christmas, Despite Covid Pandemic
While the Coronavirus pandemic put a damper on 2020 Christmas celebrations, traditional marching band parades rekindled this year’s Christmas spirit in Bethlehem, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. Palestinian scout troops marched towards Manger […]

Despite Israeli Ban, Gaza’s Christians Greet Christmas with Prayers of Peace (PHOTOS)
By Mahmoud Ajjour – Gaza With songs and hymns, Palestinian Christians in Gaza celebrated the lighting of the Christmas tree inside the Holy Family Church, despite an Israeli ban, which prevented hundreds of Christians from […]

‘Eid Al Milad’ Bazaar: A Bridge between Palestine and Italy (PHOTOS)
By Romana Rubeo The Italian capital city, Rome, has hosted a Palestinian Christmas Bazaar last weekend, with Palestinian food, traditional dance (dabke), free workshops, and live music. The event took place on December 11-12 […]

Palestinian Christians in Gaza Launch Holiday Celebrations, Light Christmas Tree
By Mahmoud Ajjour – Gaza Gaza’s Palestinian Christian community has begun its official celebrations of the holiday season by lighting the Christmas tree at the Young Men’s Christian Association in Gaza City. Many Christian families, […]

Churches under Lockdown: Christian Festivities Canceled in Gaza (PHOTOS)
The joy of Christmas was largely absent among Gaza’s Christian population as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown. Churches throughout the Strip canceled the festivities associated with the holidays, and Christians, like their Muslim brethren, […]

Bethlehem Scales down Christmas Celebrations Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
Just a handful of Palestinians today gathered at the Manger Square in Bethlehem to mark the start of Christmas Eve as the coronavirus pandemic has put a damper on this year’s celebrations. Unlike previous years […]

Custos of the Holy Land Arrives in Bethlehem Ushering in Christmas Celebrations amid COVID-19 Restrictions
The Custos of the Holy Land, Father Francesco Patton, arrived today in at Bethlehem’s Church of Nativity coming from Jerusalem ushering in the Christmas celebrations which kicks off tomorrow. However, due to the coronavirus lockdown […]

The Israeli ‘Grinch’: 500 Gaza’s Christians Denied Travel Permits to Celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem
By Palestine Chronicle Staff Palestinian Christians in Gaza rejected Israeli claims that they have been granted permits to visit Bethlehem and Jerusalem in the West Bank in order for them to celebrate Christmas there. […]

Palestinian Christians Celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem, despite Israeli Occupation (VIDEOS)
Thousands of Palestinians and tourists Tuesday gathered at the Manger Square in Bethlehem, marking the start of Christmas eve. Palestinian Christians celebrate #Christmas in #Bethlehem, where Christian churches begin their celebrations pic.twitter.com/Y0mbbtbjSg — Shehab Agency […]

Under International Pressure, Israel Reverses Ban on Gaza Christians Visiting Holy Sites
Christians in the Gaza Strip will be allowed to visit holy cities such as Bethlehem and Jerusalem at Christmas, Israeli authorities said on Sunday, reversing a previous decision, Reuters reports. On December 12, Israel’s military liaison […]

Israel Bars Gaza’s Christians from Visiting Holy Cities at Christmas (VIDEO)
Christians in the Gaza Strip will not be allowed to visit holy cities such as Bethlehem and Jerusalem to celebrate Christmas this year, Israeli authorities said on Thursday, Reuters reports. Gazan Christians will be granted permits to […]

Relic of Jesus’ Manger: Christmas Gift from the Pope to the City of Bethlehem
A fragment of wood reputed to be from the manger where Jesus was laid after his humble birth arrived in Bethlehem from the Vatican on Saturday, kicking off Christmas season at the town revered as […]

Palestinian Santas Barred from Jerusalem
Palestinian Christians dressed up as Santa Claus for Christmas have been forbidden by Israel to enter Jerusalem as reported by Anadolu Agency. Palestinian Christians from the West Bank, like their Muslim counterparts, can’t enter Jerusalem without […]

Palestinians Celebrate Christmas despite Israeli Restrictions (VIDEO)
Palestinian Christians celebrated Christmas despite Israeli restrictions. The city of Bethlehem adorned a Christmas tree in Manger Square, where the Church of the Nativity is located. The square hosted a number of activities, including the […]

Thousands Gather for Christmas-Tree Lighting in Bethlehem
Thousands of people attended the annual Christmas-tree lighting ceremony in Bethlehem’s Manger Square on Saturday night to mark the start of the holiday season. Palestinians light up Christmas tree outside the Church of the Nativity […]

Palestinians Christians Message to Trump (VIDEO & PHOTOS)
Palestinian scouts played the drums and bagpipes during Christmas celebrations in the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem, but this year, tourists have kept away. Ongoing protests across the West Bank and Gaza Strip against […]