“Rise and shine, Bethlehem, the light of peace has dawned anew.” With these words, Bethlehem celebrated its traditional Christmas tree lighting ceremony in a packed Manger Square on December 6, 2025, after a two-year hiatus.
The ceremony, attended by church leaders, Palestinian officials, international diplomats and local families, was the first public Christmas gathering in Bethlehem since the Gaza war broke out in 2023. City leaders characterized the lighting as both a spiritual milestone and an act of community resilience, declaring that despite the region’s hardships, a “light of peace” continues to shine from the birthplace of Christ.
Bethlehem Mayor Maha Nicola Kanawati welcomed the large turnout, noting that it reflected Bethlehem’s global spiritual importance. He emphasized that the City of Nativity continues to stand tall despite suffering, renewing its light in the world through the message of Christmas, which is rooted in justice, freedom and human dignity.
Speaking on behalf of the President of Palestine, Dr. Ramzi Khoury, Chairman of the High Presidential Commission on Church Affairs, affirmed that Christmas carries a message of hope, born from a simple manger that changed the face of the world more than 2,000 years ago. He emphasized that the birth of Christ is not just a historical moment, but a continuing birth of hope for true peace in darkness, a reminder that no matter how deep the hardships, light finds a way.
After the speeches, a prayer for peace was offered and the patriarchs blessed the Christmas tree before its lights rose into the Bethlehem sky.
The evening concluded with a spiritual Christmas production titled “Out of the Shadow of War…Peace Comes” sponsored by the City of Bethlehem.
message of new hope
This year’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony also sparked new hope for area Christian leaders, who welcomed the large turnout and symbol of unity.
Latin Bishop William Shomali, a resident of Beit Sahour in the Bethlehem district, told Christian Daily International that he experienced the 2025 Christmas tree lighting ceremony as a truly special event. “The number of participants and dignitaries who accepted the invitation, the generosity of national and international sponsors, and the quality of the program were outstanding,” he said.
He noted that the program includes a message to Bethlehem from Pope Leo “Bethlehem has once again proven itself to be the capital of Christmas,” he said.
For evangelical leaders, the event not only reflected the Christmas message of hope for peace, but also served as a reminder that Jesus himself was born into a world in turmoil.
“I have attended many Christmas tree lighting ceremonies, but this was the most beautiful and well-organized one,” Pastor Jack Sala, executive director of the World Evangelical Alliance Middle East and North Africa branch, told Christian Daily International. Highlighting the discipline maintained despite the large number of participants, he said: “It felt like everyone was hoping and praying for the event to be a success and for hope to return to the Palestinian people after the dark past two years.”
Sarah noted that the event’s themes and carols are all based on the Bible, and said, “We hope that the light of Jesus, the light of peace and justice, will spread in our community.”
Reflecting on the return of traditional celebrations after a hiatus, Shireen Awad Hilal, Bethlehem Bible College’s director of outreach, told Christian Daily International that this year, “our joy is quieter but deeper, rooted in the promise that the light of Christ continues to shine in every dark valley.”
Hilal noted that the people of Gaza are living in fragile shelters and facing a season of greater uncertainty than warmth. “But in this difficult moment, we remember that the first Christmas was also born in a difficult place. Hope enters the world not in consolation, but in a humble manger, and we are reminded that God’s light seeks even the darkest valley.”
Christmas celebrations also renew hope for tourism to restart
One of the consequences of the Gaza war was that tourism in the Palestinian territories came to a standstill, severely impacting families and businesses that depend on tourists and pilgrims for income. However, tourism expert Tony Kashram said early indicators now suggest a modest recovery could be seen in 2026.
“We have preliminary reservations for 2026 from Germany, France, the US, the UK, Turkey, Malaysia and Indonesia, but they are still on paper until the situation stabilizes further,” Kashram told Christian Daily International. He added that airlines have already started resuming operations via Lod Airport.
“In addition to the large number of visitors to Bethlehem boosting local hotels and restaurants, reservations for hotels in both Bethlehem and East Jerusalem are also starting to increase,” he noted.
The new Christmas celebrations thus brought not only spiritual encouragement but also some economic hope to a region eager to rebuild.
