The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa arrived in Bethlehem on Wednesday (December 24), to celebrate Christmas and lead Christmas midnight mass.

Police officers, worshippers and marching bands filled the square in for the festive day , welcoming the Patriarch to the Church of the Nativity.

The Palestinian city, revered by Christians as the birthplace of Jesus, had refrained from public Christmas celebrations over the past two years as war raged in Gaza.

But as a precarious ceasefire in Gaza enters its second month, the city is expected to mark the festive celebration, with marching bands and decorations, and the return of worshippers from around the world to mark this year's Christmas from the holy city.

Most years, Bethlehem basks in the central place it holds in the Christian story of Jesus' life. He was born there in a stable because there was no room for his parents at the inn and was placed in an animal's manger, the humblest of all possible beds.

Some 2,000 years later, pilgrims usually flock to the reputed location of that stable in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK (DECEMBER 24, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. THE LATIN PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM CARDINAL PIERBATTISTA PIZZABALLA WALKING IN BETHLEHEM STREETS TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS AT JESUS'S BIRTHPLACE

2. VARIOUS OF LATIN PATRIARCH SHAKING HANDS WITH CHRISTIANS OF BETHLEHEM WHO ARE AT WELCOMING CEREMONY

3. MARCHING BANDS AT MANGER SQUARE, CELEBRATING ARRIVAL OF PATRIARCH

4. VARIOUS OF ARRIVAL CEREMONY AT MANGER SQUARE

5. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT CEREMONY

6. DRONE VIEW SHOWING CHRISTMAS CEREMONY AT MANGER SQUARE NEAR NATIVITY CHURCH

7. VARIOUS OF PRIESTS LINING UP FOR ARRIVAL OF PATRIARCH

8. VARIOUS OF LATIN PATRIARCH DURING CHRISTMAS CEREMONY OUTSIDE CHURCH OF NATIVITY

9. PATRIARCH ENTERING CHURCH OF NATIVITY

10. VARIOUS OF LATIN PATRIARCH ENTERING CHURCH OF NATIVITY WITH PALESTINIAN OFFICIALS

11. VARIOUS OF PATRIARCH PRAYING INSIDE CHURCH

12. VARIOUS OF PATRIARCH HOLDING MASS INSIDE CHURCH OF NATIVITY

13. CHRISTIANS AND PALESTINIAN OFFICIALS AT MASS

14. CHURCH OF NATIVITY IN MANGER SQUARE