Deprived of its usual tourist influx by the pandemic, Bethlehem will celebrate a quiet Christmas this year that is less about commerce and more about religion, says its parish priest.
In a normal year hundreds of thousands of visitors flood the Palestinian city in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, located less than 10 kilometers (six miles) from Jerusalem.
Those seeking a quiet moment of contemplation in the Church of Nativity — the site of Christ’s birth, according to tradition — generally have to use their elbows to maneuver through the crowds.
While the lack of visitors has been devastating for business owners, it has also offered a rare opportunity for solemn worship, …
Keep on reading: Quiet Bethlehem Christmas means ‘less business, more religion’