Visiting for Christmas, the papal envoy, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, prefect of Vatican Dicastery for the Service of Charity, assisted the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem in the wartime celebration amid the "helplessness" of not being able to ease suffering Palestinians in the Gaza
This Christmas, Bethlehem, the place where Jesus was born, is a city weighed down by the consequences of war. Though not directly impacted by the fighting, the lack of tourism — which constitutes the livelihood for 60% to 70% of the population
"I'm feeling it every day," Keller told The Catholic Spirit, newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. "I sit back and look at this (diorama) and I think, 'These people were at the well, they were doing things, and 500
The Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem, located just 1,500 steps from the birthplace of Christ, is confronting significant challenges amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip 45 miles away.
Father Patrick Briscoe reflects on how we can rediscover the Eucharist at Bethlehem: "Time and eternity touch and mingle in the birth of Christ. Father Vincent McNabb says, 'Eternity's full tide overwhelms the banks of Time.' And while Christ enters definitely into
When Christy Zeidan, office manager of the Three Arches 2 souvenir shop, put the key in the door lock for the first time in nearly 20 months, she got goose bumps on her arms.
"It was very emotional. It was like breathing again,
It will be a quiet and subdued Christmas this year in Bethlehem, with almost 7,000 people involved in the tourism sector out of work because of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Bethlehem Mayor Anton Salman.
Virtually no pilgrims or tourists have visited Bethlehem since
Bethlehem residents returned to the Church of the Nativity as the holy site opened to visitors May 26 after being closed since March because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But amid the joy was a feeling of uncertainty about their economic future, as
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem urged its faithful to cooperate with the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Health, following its order March 5 to close all schools, universities, mosques and churches, including the Church of the Nativity and Shepherd's Field. The affected areas
As we celebrate Christmas this year, perhaps the world can draw some hope from the goings-on in Bethlehem. We’re not talking about the nativity of Our Lord that took place in that holy city 2,000 years ago. We’re talking about what is