After a two-year hiatus, Bethlehem’s Christmas tree returns to Manger Square, drawing pilgrims praying for peace and locals seeking light amidst ongoing conflict.
Newsroom (09/12/2025 ) For the first time since December 2022, a 65-foot Christmas tree was illuminated at the edge of Manger Square on Dec. 6, casting a festive glow just 10 months after the Israel-Hamas war began. While pilgrim numbers to Jesus’s birthplace remain modest compared to pre-war years, the ceremony marked a tentative return of public celebration and drew those feeling blessed to witness it.
The lighting, attended by thousands of mostly local residents, featured flashing holiday lights, “Santas” handing out candied apples, and families photographing the twinkling tree and Nativity creche. It followed the October implementation of a ceasefire brokered by the Trump administration, which has allowed a slow trickle of tourists and pilgrims—two or three visitor buses a day and small individual groups—to return.
“For the first time in two years the lights of the Christmas tree were shining in a sign of peace and hope,” said Italian pilgrim Jean Luca.
Organizing the event was a logistical scramble, admitted Ranya Malki Bandak, director of the Bethlehem Peace Center tasked with arranging celebrations. “We have been waiting for it despite everything going on in Gaza, we are looking for hope and peace,” Bandak said. She confirmed a weekend Christmas market and other leading events would proceed, citing more hotel reservations, primarily from Arab citizens of Israel and international groups booked for 2026.
For pilgrims like Nataly Taratuta, 50, who journeyed for nearly two days from war-torn Ukraine, the subdued atmosphere offered a sacred privilege. Kneeling in the silent grotto of the Church of the Nativity to touch the silver star marking Jesus’s traditional birth site, she prayed for peace for Ukraine, Palestinians, Israelis, and the world.
“I can’t express in words the sacred way I feel,” Taratuta said. “I am so happy it was not crowded so I had time to pray and worship.”
Her friend, Anna Tverdokhlib, 30, also from Ukraine, noted a personal connection to the region’s suffering. “When we are here in the Palestinian area my heart is in peace and we are supporting these people.”
Despite the festivities, the shadow of conflict remains. “We can’t forget everything (that is happening in Gaza), it is not easy, but this is for peace and love and Christmas here,” Bandak emphasized. “We have to light a candle despite everything.”
For local resident Nadeera Sleibi, an English and French teacher, the enduring joy is theological. “With war or without war we are very happy on Christmas,” she said while awaiting Midnight Mass tickets. “He brings peace to this land because he is the Prince of Peace.”
- Raju Hasmukh with files from OSV News
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