Hundreds attend lighting of Christmas tree in Gaza
336 views · Published 27 December 2018 · 2:02 · Indexed 29 October 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(22 Dec 2018) Several hundred people gathered at a Christian youth association centre in Gaza City on Saturday to celebrate the lighting of the Christmas tree. It is the first time that such a big celebration has been held - Christians in Gaza would previously only celebrate in the their church. The event marks the first time a communal Christmas tree has been lit in Gaza. Israeli authorities are allowing hundreds of Christians living in the Gaza Strip to participate in Christmas celebrations in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Christians without permits to go to Bethlehem gathered at the youth centre in Gaza City. About 70 percent of Christians in the Strip follow the Greek Orthodox community, while the rest belong to the Latin Catholic community. Before Hamas took over Gaza in 2007, the Christian population in the coastal enclave stood at more than 3,000 people. According to Christian organisations in the Gaza Strip, just 1,200 Christians remain, most of them Orthodox. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/294c22b4843e363554b1d2f1b48bbef0
