Although there has been more than one year of war, the light of the child of Bethlehem comes this night to light up the world: it is Christmas.
On Tuesday 24 December, a day of sunshine welcomed the Patriarch, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, in his traditional entry into Bethlehem. Like last year, as a sign of solidarity with the population suffering in Gaza, a more austere and modest mood has been chosen, avoiding, songs, music and the traditional Christmas decorations.
The journey from Jerusalem to Bethlehem has not undergone any variations, and took place as usual. The first stop was at the Greek Orthodox convent of Mar Elias. After that, the Israeli police escorted the Patriarch to Rachel’s Tomb, where he entered Bethlehem. When he arrived at the start of Star Street, he began the journey on foot, accompanied by various groups of Christian scouts and the local faithful who had gathered for the occasion. Many children were present to welcome the Patriarch who was only too pleased to stop to say hello or exchange greetings.
When he arrived in Manger Square, in front of the church of the Nativity, the Patriarch invited the faithful present not to abandon hope in these dark times. “Be brave, do not be afraid, we will not let the war cancel our lives,” he said, also bringing greetings from the Christians of Gaza he had visited a couple of days earlier.
The Patriarch’s message was fill of peace and hope, inviting the faithful not to be overwhelmed by the despair of destruction but to bring back the light of Christ who is born in Bethlehem.
“This Christmas, let us all pray together so that the destruction we have seen in Gaza, the destruction that we can see everywhere, including in Palestine, does not destroy our lives. We are stronger; we belong to the light, not to darkness,”
The Patriarch then addressed pilgrims all over the world, exhorting them not to be afraid and to return soon to the Holy Land.
The Deputy Mayor of Bethlehem, Hanna Honanie, welcomed the Patriarch in the square together with the other military and civil authorities. According to the Status Quo, the Guardian of the Franciscan fraternity of Bethlehem, Fra Enrique Luis Segovia Marin, and representatives of the Greek Orthodox and the Armenian communities were waiting for the Patriarch in front of the church of the Nativity.
The solemnity of Christmas Eve started in Bethlehem with the celebration of the First Vespers in St Catherine’s church. The parish priest, Father Rami Asakrieh, gave a very warm welcome to the Patriarch and the authorities present. In the afternoon, the procession to the Grotto of the Nativity immersed the faithful and religious in an atmosphere of profound spirituality, while together they contemplated the Holy Place where Jesus was born.
The Christmas Night Mass started before midnight, in St Catherine’s church full of local faithful. When Cardinal Pizzaballa intoned the “Gloria”, announcing Christmas, the bells of the Basilica rang in celebration and the statue of the Child Jesus was uncovered on the altar.
In his homily (you can read the full text here), the Patriarch reflected on the passage of the Gospel by Luke, inviting the Christian community to follow the example of faith given by the Holy Family.
“Joseph and Mary live the grace of their Christmas, of the true Christmas, not in a way, a time or in circumstances they have decided or that are particularly favourable. We can and we must, like Joseph and Mary, like the shepherds and the Magi, take the alternative paths pointed out to us by the Lord, find the suitable spaces where new styles of reconciliation and fraternity can be born and grow up, make our families and our communities the cradles of the future of justice and peace, which has already begun with the coming of the Prince of Peace.”
The Patriarch had a message of closeness and a wish of hope for the Christian communities of Gaza and Bethlehem, harshly affected by the ongoing conflict.
“I want to thank our brothers in Gaza, who I was able to meet again recently. I renew dear brothers and sisters, our prayer, our closeness and our support. You are not alone; you are truly a visible sign of hope in the midst of the disaster of the total destruction surrounding you. But you are not destroyed, you are still united and firm in hope. Thanks to your marvellous testimony of strength and peace!
A thought also goes to you, dear brothers and sisters of Bethlehem, This year has again been a sad Christmas for you, marked by insecurity, poverty and violence. The most important day for you is lived once again in effort and waiting for better days. I say to you as well: courage! We must not lose hope! Let us renew our trust in God.”
At the end of the Mass, the statue of the Child Jesus was taken from St Catherine’s church in a procession to the Grotto of the Nativity, and the Latin Patriarch placed it where, according to tradition, there was the manger: a Child is born in Bethlehem, and the Salvation of humanity continues even today.
Lucia Borgato
