Photo by Ömer Yıldız on Unsplash
For oft-overlooked Palestinian Christian communities, Christmas this year takes on a vastly different significance amidst the Israeli bombing raids that have killed over 18,000…
Christmas Cancelled in Bethlehem.
Bethlehem, in the West Bank, which has been contested for centuries, and is most recently under threat from Israeli settlers, has been forced to cancel its Christmas celebrations in a show of unity with Palestinians facing desolation, displacement, and the threat of death. For the first time in centuries, Bethlehem will not be lit up with candles or filled with merriment. Instead, a more muted celebration has been planned, with Churches using imagery that reflects the current situation in Gaza, drawing similarities between the conditions of Palestinians today, and the conditions 2,000 years ago when Jesus Christ (a Jewish Palestinian) was born.
What does Christmas mean?
Reverend Munther Isaac, Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, states that “If Jesus were to be born today, he would be born under the rubble and Israeli shelling”. When Christ was born, Palestine was occupied by another power, the Roman Empire, and 2,000 years later, Palestinian Christians still do not have freedom. Isaac also states “Bethlehem is sad and broken. We are all in pain about what is happening in Gaza, feeling helpless and overwhelmed by our inability to offer anything”.
Palestinian Christians, like others around the world, ultimately believe in hope, and the love provided by the birth of Christ. One School Principal said that “Christmas is in the heart…we pray and invoke Jesus to be born again in our lives, our country, our churches, and our schools so that we can live in peace and stability”. The intertwined struggle to affirm Palestinian existence and to cultivate faith and hope in the Lord is exemplified in the Churches of Palestine, and the true meaning of Christmas, a time of reflection, peace, togetherness, and love, in a situation where there may be none.
How have Christians adapted?
In Bethlehem, Rev. Isaac has adapted the usual nativity scene in order to reflect the realities of the time.
Jesus is placed on a pile of rubble surrounded by candles, mirroring the situation of many young children in Gaza, who are pulled out of ruined houses every day. The miracle of Jesus’ birth is reflected, according to these Christians, in the miracle of survival, the miracle of helpless children overcoming extraordinary hardship. Yet, it is also reflected in the generational pain of the oppressed. Psalm 9:9 reads “The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble”.
This poignant and muted Christmas imagery has provoked tears from congregants and passers-by, and has caught the eye of onlookers around the world. Many Christians are fasting in solidarity with their Palestinian counterparts, and many are raising money through organisations such as CAFOD, and the Quakers.
It is clear that Christmas will not be same in the birthplace of Jesus this year, due to the significant escalation of the war, and it may never be the same again. Therefore, Christians and non-Christians around the world should use the time of reflection, peace, and love during Advent and Christmas to remember those afflicted by war, occupation and bombardment, and consider how we can support them.
Psalm 103:6
“The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.”
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