Christian
pilgrims from across the world have celebrated midnight Mass in
Bethlehem to mark Christmas Eve in the traditional birthplace of Jesus.
In a homily, Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal called on Jews, Muslims and Christians to "live together as equals".
Referring to violence in Gaza and Jerusalem, he said he hoped 2015 "would be better than this difficult year".
Thousands of pilgrims earlier crowded into Manger Square to watch a procession led by Patriarch Twal.
The midnight Mass took place in the Church of the Nativity
which marks the spot where Christians believe Jesus was born in the West
Bank town.
Patriarch Twal, the most senior Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land, said the region had become "a land of conflict".
"I hope next year there will be no separation wall and I hope
we will have bridges of peace instead," he added. "Peace comes from
justice and we have a cause which we hope will be solved soon."
He appeared to be referring to the barrier Israel is building
in and around the West Bank, which separates Bethlehem from Jerusalem,
and the Palestinians' submission to the UN Security Council of a draft
resolution that would set a 12-month deadline to reach a peace deal with
Israel.
Celebrations were focused on Manger Square
Jerusalem's Latin Patriarch, Fouad Twal, had to pass through the West Bank barrier to get to Bethlehem
Activists decorated a tree in Manger Square with empty tear-gas grenades
"Our message this Christmas is a message of peace like every
year, but what we added this year is that all we want from Christmas is
justice," said Palestinian Tourism Minister Rula Maayah.
"Justice for our people, justice for our case and the right
to live like all other people in the world in our independent state
without the occupation."
Patriarch Twal urged Christians not to forget the residents
of Gaza, where up to 19,600 families displaced by the 50-day conflict
between Israel and Palestinian militants are still in need of medium-
and long-term shelter, and the people of Syria and Iraq, who are
struggling to cope with a civil war and the advance of jihadist
militants from Islamic State (IS).
At the scene: Quentin Sommerville, BBC News, Bethlehem
These are Bethlehem's biggest two days of the year - the one
occasion when, for Christians, it displaces Jerusalem. The Holy Land is
the cradle of Christianity, a point Pope Francis made when he visited
earlier this year.
The Pope's Christmas message to Christians - do not be afraid
or ashamed of your faith - comes at a time when Christianity is under
threat in the Middle East like never before.
Islamic State has pushed some of the world's oldest Christian
communities out of their homes in northern Iraq. For some, the choice
was convert to Islam, or die. So instead, tens of thousands fled to
Kurdistan. There they remain, sheltering in churches and schools with
few possessions.
Here in Manger Square there is song, and celebration, but as
the Pope himself said, there will be tears and sighs alongside the
hymns, as the faithful look towards 2015 with fear for the future of
communities that have existed here for 2,000 years.
On Tuesday, Pope Francis - who prayed at the West Bank barrier
and called for an end to the "increasingly unacceptable"
Palestinian-Israeli conflict when he visited the region in May - sent a
message of solidarity to Christians in the Middle East.
In a letter, the Pope wrote that for them, "the music of your Christmas hymns will also be accompanied by tears and sighs".
Without mentioning IS by name, he spoke about "the work of a
newer and disturbing terrorist organisation, of previously unimaginable
dimensions, which has perpetrated all kinds of abuses and inhuman acts".
Scout troops played bagpipes as Christians processed through Manger Square
But the Pope said the presence of Christians in the Middle East
was precious and he urged them to work with their neighbours to
reiterate that Islam is a religion of peace.
In Baghdad, Chaldean Patriarch Louis Sako said about 150,000
Christians had been displaced since IS launched an offensive in northern
Iraq in June and told members of religious minorities that they would
have to convert to Islam, pay a special tax or leave.
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