Conflicts

Christmas Festivities Return to Bethlehem After Two-Year Pause

Illustration for: Christmas Festivities Return to Bethlehem After Two-Year Pause
AI-generated illustration. Visual interpretation does not represent real individuals or scenes.

Dec 25, 2025

THE BARE STORY

Thousands of people gathered in Bethlehem’s Manger Square on December 24, 2025, for Christmas Eve celebrations, the first large-scale festivities held in the city in two years. The event follows a period of conflict and the implementation of a ceasefire. A traditional procession from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, led by Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, marked the start of the main celebration. Attendees were reported to be mostly from nearby towns and villages, with a notable absence of the international tourists and Christian pilgrims who typically visit.

Upon his arrival, Cardinal Pizzaballa called for "a Christmas full of light" after two years of darkness and relayed greetings from the Christian community in Gaza. In November, Bethlehem Mayor Maher Canawati had announced the return of the celebrations, stating in a video that the city was "igniting a flame of hope." The mayor also stated that a ceasefire, which he said was brokered by the Trump administration, was the reason for trying to restore tourism to the city.

For the past two years, public Christmas celebrations were canceled or limited due to the war that began after Hamas’s attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. During that period, a nativity scene in Manger Square reportedly featured a depiction of baby Jesus amid rubble and barbed wire as a reflection on the situation in Gaza.

The absence of tourism has severely impacted Bethlehem's economy, which is dependent on visitors. According to Mayor Canawati, unemployment in the city rose from 14% to 65% during the war. Another report cited a 70% unemployment rate and record-high hotel vacancies. Muhammad Abu Jurah, a local souvenir shop owner, stated that he had to lay off his six employees over the past two years.

Same Facts. Different Perspectives.

Two AI models. Two viewpoints. One factual foundation.

Perspective by Claude

• The festivities signal a return to normalcy after a long period of darkness. After a two-year pause due to conflict, the return of large-scale Christmas Eve celebrations marks a significant shift. Bethlehem's Mayor, Maher Canawati, framed the event as "igniting a flame of hope," while Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa called for "a Christmas full of light" after years of darkness.

• A political ceasefire is credited with enabling the public gathering. According to Mayor Canawati, the decision to resume the celebrations and try to restore tourism was made possible by a ceasefire. The mayor stated that this ceasefire was brokered by the Trump administration, linking the political development directly to the city's ability to hold the event.

• The event is seen as a crucial step toward economic revival. The return of celebrations is a deliberate attempt to bring back tourism, which Bethlehem’s economy depends on. With unemployment having soared during the conflict, officials see the resumption of such key events as the primary way to begin rebuilding the local economy.

How it may affect me

As a U.S. reader:

• U.S. citizens planning religious pilgrimages to Bethlehem may see this as a sign of returning normalcy, though the area still lacks typical international tourist crowds.

• The event may be cited in U.S. political discourse, as a local mayor attributed the enabling ceasefire to the Trump administration.

• The resumption of public events serves as a potential indicator of regional stability, a long-standing U.S. foreign policy interest, though the situation remains fragile.

Read the story at

Note: All TheBareNews content is AI-generated. For additional context, reporting, and updates, you are invited to explore the news outlets linked above.