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The tradition of being an artisan in Bethlehem is being threatened by the flight of young people from the area and the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
The Magi made their appearance for the recitation of the Second Vespers of the Epiphany, marking the conclusion of the solemnity and also the end of the Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem.
The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, presided over midnight Mass for Christmas at the Church of St. Catherine in Bethlehem, addressing the impact of the Israel-Hamas war on Gazans and sharing the news that on Christmas Eve the local Church was able to deliver supplies to the people taking refuge at Holy Family Parish in Gaza.
At Bethlehem’s Basilica of the Nativity, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa presided over the first vespers of Christmas.
The strands of lights are falling down one after another, forming a kind of curtain of threads in front of the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Following the municipality’s decision to suspend Christmas events and remove decorations, workers are busy dismantling the light canopy on Nativity Square and at other locations in the city.