BETHLEHEM, December 25, 2022 – President Mahmoud Abbas last night attended the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass at the Church of Saint Catherine, adjacent to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, celebrated by the Roman Catholic Christian denominations in Palestine.

The Mass was led by His Beatitude Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, along with bishops, priests, monks, nuns, and deacons.

In his homily, Patriarch Pizzaballa said that Bethlehem stands united today — Muslims and Christians alike — celebrating Christmas with joy despite the challenges and hardships facing the city and the rest of the Holy Land.

He emphasized that the political, economic, and social difficulties experienced in Palestine should not lead to despair, wishing everyone a Christmas filled with reassurance and peace. “Our message is the message of Christ — a message of love and peace to the world,” Patriarch Pizzaballa said.