With an enormous evergreen tree, colourful balloons within the streets and selfies within the Church of the Nativity, Christmas tourism has returned to Bethlehem after two years of COVID-related restrictions.
Revered in Christian custom because the birthplace of Christ, the city of Bethlehem welcomes hundreds of pilgrims and vacationers for Christmas yearly, a windfall that dried up over the previous two years because of the coronavirus pandemic and journey restrictions.
Now with restrictions lifted within the Palestinian territories and Israel, the place the closest worldwide airport with entry to Bethlehem is positioned, the southern West Bank city has taken on a festive air.
Scouts marched with bagpipes as hundreds of onlookers lining the streets held balloons and cotton sweet.
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, greeted worshippers upon his arrival to the city, forward of main the annual Christmas eve procession on the Church of the Nativity.
“Christmas is the town’s celebration, and we put in a lot of time and effort to prepare for it,” Bethlehem mayor Hanna Hanania informed AFP.
“We wanted to have international participation, and organized children’s songs and shows with singers from France, South Africa and Malta,” he added.
‘Significant place’
Tourists converged on the streets, outlets and stone buildings of this Palestinian city, the place Christians and Muslims stay facet by facet.
It was “wonderful to be here”, mentioned Paul Wittenberger, a 40-year-old American from Michigan who was visiting together with his father and siblings.
“We’ve been here for three days and the weather’s nice, we’re lucky to be here out of the storm” sweeping the United States this weekend, he mentioned.
To John Hughes, simply “hanging out” in Bethlehem was significant.
“It’s a pretty cool city,” the 22-year-old Canadian from Vancouver informed AFP.
For him, the birthplace of Christ was a “significant place — especially on Christmas.”
Michael al-Siriani, who owns a pottery and ceramics workshop, was delighted to see vacationers flocking again to the city after two troublesome years, which had seen native inns standing empty.
“Things are much better now after the coronavirus pandemic,” he mentioned. “Besides, tourists have started to sleep in the city again.”
The Palestinian Authority, which governs the Israeli-occupied West Bank, confirmed Siriani’s emotions.
“Since the beginning of this year, but more specifically since March, we have begun receiving pilgrims and tourists from all over the world,” Palestinian tourism minister Rola Maayah informed AFP.
“Until now, we have received about 700,000 tourists from around the world,” she mentioned.
Meanwhile on Saturday, pilgrims had been deep in prayer within the Church of the Nativity whereas others took selfies carrying crimson and white Santa Claus caps, hours earlier than the normal midnight mass and its needs for peace. — Agence France-Presse
