For this reason, he urged not to leave alone “the inhabitants of the land where Jesus was born, lived, died and rose again.”
“Let us be close to them with prayer, with concrete help and also with your Living Manger, which reminds everyone how the suffering of Bethlehem is an open wound for the Middle East and for the entire world,” the Pope told the participants of the audience.
A few weeks ago the authorities of Bethlehem, located in the Palestinian territory of the West Bank, announced the suspension of all civil Christmas activities due to the war, so only religious celebrations take place during these days.