Christmas In Jerusalem

Thousands of pilgrims come to the city to celebrate christmas in the place where it all began nearby in bethlehem the city in particular the old city s christian and armenian quarters become adorned with decorations while other jerusalem landmarks such as the ymca along with the city s churches celebrate by holding services and.

Christmas in jerusalem. Mark the christmas holiday with a tour of jerusalem and bethlehem that culminates with a festive dinner and midnight mass outside the church of nativity. Jerusalem israel december 28 2018. Jerusalem israel december 28 decorated for christmas and new year celebration olive tree stands on the street near to jaffa gate in the old city in jerusalem. Christmas in jerusalem coincides with the jewish festival hanukkah which is very similar to christmas in its festive spirit.

For most people in israel christmas is a normal working day unless the 25th december is at the weekend and in major cities such as jerusalem you re fairly unlikely to see many or any signs of christmas unless you specifically go to tourist areas or areas with churches in them. This is because the russian church still follows the julian calendar according to which the festival falls on january 7 in the gregorian calendar. The west bank wall. Christmas isn t a public holiday in most of israel.

Less commercialized than in much of the western world because judaism and islam are the two main religions of israel christmas in israel is meaningful for its historic significance as the land where the christmas story took place. With the possible exception of the usually sleepy nazareth which comes to life with pilgrims annually christmas is more visible in jerusalem than in any other place in israel though the streets are hardly decked with tinsel in most of the town the presence of the holiday is felt strongly in jerusalem with native jerusalemite catholics and protestants and multitudes of christian tourists. Christmas in israel is truly christmas in the holy land a magically meaningful experience for christians. For much of the rest of israel this is a day like any other unless it happens to coincide with.

The jerusalem international ymca is known for its lovely christmas tree and annual christmas themed events that include children s plays and christmas carols. Church of the nativity. The top sites visited on this tour are mount of olives church of the nativity festive dinner in manger square midnight mass. This is understandable since it is probably the first time many of these visitors find themselves at christmas in a country where christians are a distinct minority.

Christmas is celebrated three times in a year in jerusalem and bethlehem. Christmas in jerusalem is a truly unique time of year. Christmas lights in jerusalem street. Greg touchton under a ccby2 license.