Despite the challenges, Bethlehem’s religious leaders continue to advocate for peace and hope. Khoury summed up the prevailing sentiment: “We try to plant hope, peace, and love in people’s ...

What celebrations do occur in Bethlehem, Isaac said ... declining to name the religious leader. “He dealt with us with clear condescension.” Isaac said he plans to publish a new book in ...

For the second straight year, Bethlehem’s Christmas celebrations will be somber and muted, in deference to war in Gaza.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. On Christmas Eve in 1741 ... because their ancestors began as a refugee church fleeing religious persecution. The Nativity is also a poignant reminder today, when the number ...

17, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean) BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — The Nativity Store in Manger Square has sold handmade olive wood carvings and religious items to people visiting the traditional ...

Inside Trinity Episcopal Church, it’s starkly evident what damage a few hours of rushing water can do to a structure, even a ...

Nuns walk along the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus, on Christmas Eve, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias ...

Palestinian police line up next to Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus, on Christmas Eve, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024. (AP Photo ...

Pakistani Christians attend midnight Christmas Mass at St. Anthony's church in Lahore, Pakistan, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary) BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem marked another ...