COVID dampens Bethlehem's Christmas celebrations

Priests arrive at the Church of Nativity, believed to be the birthplace of Jesus, adhering to strict social-distancing guidelines. The traditional midnight mass on Christmas Eve is closed to the general public amid a coronavirus lockdown. Only clerics are permitted to attend.

The pandemic has dealt a heavy blow to Bethlehem's tourism sector. Restaurants, hotels and gift shops have been shuttered in line with coronavirus restrictions. Evening celebrations, when pilgrims normally congregate around the Christmas tree, have been canceled.

Thousands of foreign pilgrims usually flock to the holy city and watch parades such as this. This year attendance fell dramatically. Israel has closed its international airport and Palestinian authorities enforced an intercity travel ban, meaning many were kept away.

The newly-appointed Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and top Roman Catholic cleric, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who himself contracted the virus and recovered, will lead this year's reduced celebrations. The 85-year-old Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, who usually attends said he would not participate.

In the traditional nativity story, shepherds watch flocks of sheep. During the coronavirus pandemic in Bethlehem this year, security guards ensure that strict lockdown measures are being adhered to in holy spots, such as the Church of the Nativity.

Despite the circumstances, town leaders are determined to send a message of hope. "So we are celebrating the holiday in all means, the only thing missing at this stage is the big crowd, like it used to be in the previous years, but people in Bethlehem are optimistic that the future will be better," said Mayor Anton Salman.