BETHLEHEM, December 24, 2018 (WAFA) – Thousands of Palestinians and tourists Monday have been gathering in Bethlehem, marking the start of Christmas eve.

Crowds, some dressed as Santa Claus or holding balloons, were entertained as bagpipe-playing Palestinian scout groups paraded past the giant Christmas tree and Christmas carols in Arabic were played through loudspeakers.

Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land, headed the annual procession from the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem and to Manger Square, passing through a massive metal gate in the Israel’s apartheid wall at the northern entrance of the besieged city.

Pizzaballa was welcomed at Manger Square by clergy, dignitaries and a host of Palestinian officials ahead of the midnight mass at the Church of the Nativity.

President Mahmoud Abbas and Premier Rami Hamdallah are expected to arrive in Bethlehem later Saturday to attend the annual midnight mass. 

Visitors were able this year to view the Church of the Nativity’s newly-restored ancient mosaics and columns brought to their former glory.

This year, Gaza’s tiny Christian community was not able to visit Bethlehem to celebrate Christmas as not all family members were granted hardly-to-obtain Israeli permits to make their way to the city.

Hotels dotting the biblical hometown of Jesus are almost fully-booked as Bethlehem enjoys its busiest Christmas season in years. Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Roula Maa‘yaa pointed out that approximately three million tourists and pilgrims have visited Bethlehem during 2018.

The Church of the Nativity is administered by three churches, the Roman Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church and the Armenian Church. The Orthodox and Oriental churches will celebrate the feast on December 25 according to the Julian Calendar, equivalent to January 7.

K.F.