Overview
- St. Catherine's Church in Bethlehem held a Christmas Mass overnight from Dec. 24 to 25, drawing worshippers back for a full celebration.
- Public festival events returned for the first time in three years after a Gaza ceasefire took effect, enabling large gatherings.
- The church square featured a large Christmas tree, stalls selling sweets, drinks and toys, and a choir performing on a special stage.
- Residents welcomed the renewed color and family outings yet said their emotional wounds persist, noting Israeli attacks continue.
- In Rome, Pope Leo XIV presided over Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peter's Basilica and urged believers to shoulder responsibility for peace, citing conflicts including Ukraine and the Middle East.