Young Palestinian parishioners, Julia and Jahan, decorate a Christmas tree in the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City, on Tuesday.Jehad Alshrafi/The Associated Press
For the third year in a row, Christmas in Gaza will take place without festive lights or large public gatherings.
In churches that have turned into shelters for Palestinians displaced by the current conflict, prayers mix with scenes of daily hardship among the tiny community of Christian Palestinians whose presence is centred on Gaza City, but whose roots in the Gaza Strip date back to the first centuries after the birth of Christ.
At the St. Porphyrius Church, built in the fourth century, prayers will be held and the church will be decorated simply. A Christmas tree will be lit, not as a sign of celebration, but as a “message of hope,” said Elias Jaldeh, a member of the Orthodox Church council.
At the Holy Family Catholic Church, a short mass will be held. Prayers will focus on peace, the dead, the wounded and the displaced. Pope Leo has regularly called the Holy Family Church to check on the priests and the Palestinians sheltering there, offering prayers and support.
Public joy is largely absent, replaced by simple religious rituals performed under harsh living conditions. Although a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel has been in place since Oct. 10, halting a devastating war that began in 2023, life has not returned to normal.
In Gaza City’s Holy Family Church, young girls carefully place figures among the nativity scene, while a boy plays music near a Christmas tree. With a fragile ceasefire in place, the church prepares to host a limited celebration.
Reuters
Widespread destruction, loss of homes, severe economic hardship and a deep sense of insecurity continue to shape daily life for many families, Christian and Muslim.
The number of Christians in Gaza is estimated at around 600 people, belonging to the Orthodox and Catholic communities and making up less than 1 per cent of the Gaza Strip’s total population.
In previous years, Christmas in the enclave, though modest, was a time of shared joy. Families gathered in their homes, churches were decorated with lights and colours, and children looked forward to gifts and celebrations. The sound of prayers mixed with greetings, and the holiday carried a sense of warmth and normal life.
Now, inside St. Porphyrius Church, dozens of displaced families live side by side. Mattresses are placed between stone walls, and personal space is almost non-existent. Children try to study when possible, using notebooks and donated materials. Elderly people sit quietly for hours, waiting for medical help that is often unavailable. Women try to keep some form of daily routine, cooking simple meals and caring for their families.
Gaza in danger of starvation despite spread of famine being averted, experts say
A worshipper who lived inside the church described a sombre mood.
“We are celebrating Christmas without real joy because of the difficult conditions we are living under as Palestinian Christians, and celebrations are focused only on the religious aspect,” he said. The Globe and Mail is not naming him because he fears being targeted by Israeli military forces.
Mr. Jaldeh, the member of the Orthodox Church council, said that about 50 members of the Christian community have been killed since 2023, some as a result of direct attacks and others because of the lack of medicine and proper medical care. Approximately 85 per cent of Christians in the Gaza Strip have lost their homes owing to Israeli air strikes, he said.
He said the suffering of the Christians reflects the suffering of Gaza’s population as a whole.
“We are a civilian community that lived a normal life and had nothing to do with military actions,” he said. “Yet we suffered what everyone else suffered – bombing, displacement and heavy losses.”
Thousands of Gaza children still acutely malnourished despite October ceasefire, UN says
Outside the church walls, the situation is even harder. Emad Al-Sayegh, a displaced resident, said the holiday will be limited to prayer and a few small family visits. Like many others, he will mark Christmas where he is displaced with his family, not at his original home.
“The situation is very difficult, and everyone is suffering,” he said.
The question of whether the Christian community can continue to exist in Gaza weighs heavily on many. Several Christian families left Gaza during the war and do not plan to return, citing the lack of safety and stability. Years of conflict, combined with economic collapse and insecurity, have made the idea of rebuilding life in Gaza very difficult. Community leaders have warned that continued displacement and migration could further threaten the existence of an ancient community.
In this context, churches have become more than just a place of worship. They serve as a shelter, a clinic, a meeting place and a symbol of continuity, helping preserve community bonds at a time when much of Gaza’s social fabric has been torn apart. They are spaces where people pray, manage their daily needs, care for the sick and elderly, and support one another.
The meaning of the holiday has shifted from joy to endurance, from celebration to quiet faith.