Against a backdrop of distant artillery fire and the rumble of explosions, the handful of Christians remaining in war-torn Gaza are preparing for Christmas. At the Church of the Holy Family, decorations are being hung with care, serving as a defiant symbol of hope in a city reduced largely to rubble. The community is preparing to spiritually welcome Baby Jesus in a land where the United Nations has warned that infants currently face "high danger" due to harsh winter conditions and a lack of shelter.
According to a report by the Union of Catholic Asian News YouTube Channel, the mood this holiday season is defined by loss and resilience. With an estimated 1.3 million people in Gaza in need of shelter assistance and facing the risk of hypothermia, the festivities are starkly different from years past.
"This year, there are no homes or centres left for us to celebrate in, and not even people left for us to celebrate with," said George Anton, Operations Director for the Latin Patriarchate in Gaza. "We haven't just lost homes and centres, but we've lost people, and that's the most important thing."The toll of the conflict has been devastating for the small Christian minority. Before the war, the community numbered approximately 1,100 people. Today, through direct casualties, displacement to the south, and emigration, that number has plummeted to roughly 500. Consequently, all social celebrations have been canceled, with the observance limited strictly to the Divine Liturgy.
Gaza City, described by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a major stronghold for Hamas, has seen thousands of homes destroyed by aerial bombing and artillery. Yet, within the Holy Family Church—the same compound where a previous incident involving IDF fire resulted in two deaths and seven injuries—life continues. Nearly 550 displaced people are sheltering there, refusing to leave despite the threats, mistrusting assurances that places of worship will not be targeted.
Despite the surrounding destruction, the community is determined to find moments of joy for the youth. "We are trying to make the children happy by decorating the church," said Amin al-Sabbagh, a Palestinian Christian. Young children are practicing songs, dances, and prayers, hoping for peace in the land they call home. Dima al-Tarzi, a young parishioner, expressed a flicker of happiness at seeing the decorations go up "after two years of sadness and war."
While other places of worship, such as the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius, were placed in zones marked for expulsion, the Holy Family Church remains a sanctuary. As the faithful gather to pray that the clouds of war vanish, they stand as a testament to endurance in the face of impending danger.
We wish all our readers a safe and Happy Christmas.