Christmas in Bethlehem

Located on a hill facing the mixed Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Protestant and Muslim Palestinian village of Abud (pop. 2,200) 22 km northwest of Ramallah lie the extensive ruins of the sixth century monastery of Saint Barbara. Every year on the saint's day known in Arabic as Eid el-Burbara, (December 17 in the Gregorian calendar and December 4 in the Julian calendar of the Eastern Orthodox Church), local villagers and Christians from across the West Bank come here to venerate their holy patron. Traditionally they enjoy a sweet pudding known as burbara - made from shelled kernels of wheat seasoned with sugar, cinnamon, fennel and anis, and decorated with seedless raisins.

Saint Barbara the virgin is not recorded in St. Jerome's (340-420) martyrology, and the facts concerning her are disputed. During the sixth century, a Byzantine church was built here in her honor. In the 9th century legendary miracles ascribed to St. Barbara were included in the collection of Symeon Metaphrastes. According to both local folklore in Abud and the written narratives by church historians, she was the daughter of a wealthy Roman named Dioscorus. Local lore has it that she fell in love with an early Christian and converted in secrecy. Her pagan father had her put to death when she refused to recant her new faith.

In the Westernized version of this story, her father first imprisoned her in a tower with two windows, which she miraculously converted to three as a symbol of

The order of Franciscan Friars was initiated by Francis of Assisi
and officially accepted by the Pope Innocent III in 1210.

Francis, born in 1181 and baptized as Giovanni Francesco di
Bernardone, was a son of a wealthy cloth merchant of Assisi in Italy and a
French mother. The boy was commonly called Francesco (“Frenchman”) likely due
to his French language skills.

Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto was appointed Saturday by the Vatican to serve as apostolic delegate in Jerusalem and Palestine, a post which usually includes serving as a liaison between the Catholic Church and regions with which the Vatican has no formal diplomatic ties. Lazzarotto who was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI, has been serving as papal envoy to Australia since 2007. He said the role was "a major challenge," but one he "accepts with joy" in which he will "continue to offer [his] full contribution to dialogue and peace." Lazzarotto was born in Carpanè, Vicenza in 1942 and was ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Padua in 1967. He replaces Archbishop Antonio Franco after six years of service in the post.

As Christian communities in the Middle East have increasingly found themselves under attack, Israel remains the safest place in the region for Christians. It is the only state in the Middle East where the Christian community has actually increased in real numbers, with a current population of 120,000 people.

Israel's Ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, writes about the plight of Middle East Christians in today's Wall Street Journal and how tIsrael is the only safe state in the region for this community.

Israel's Christian community is growing, according to data released by Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In 2011 there were 154,500 Christians living in Israel, representing 2% of the population of the State of Israel. Israel is the only country in the region where the Christian population is actually growing.

Highlights of the data, some of which may be surprising, include the following:

Christian Arabs represent approximately 80% of all Christians in Israel or about 124,000 people. The cities with the most significant Christian Arab populations include Nazareth (22,200), Haifa (13,800), Jerusalem (11,600) and Shfaram (9,300) located in the Galilee.

Unemployment among Christians stands at approximately 4.9% which is lower than the 6.5% unemployment rate among the Jewish population.

28,400 Christian studentsm of which over 24,000 are Christian Arabs, participate in primary and post-primary education. In total this represents approximately 1.9% of all active students which is in keeping with the percentage of the population that is Christian.

Christian Arabs have the highest success rates inf Israel's matriculation examinations comparised to the Muslims,, Druze and in comparison to all students in the Jewish education system. In fact, in the 2010 school year, 63% of the Christian 12th grade students earned a matriculation certificate compared to 46% of the Muslims, 55% of the Druz

Israel - the homeland of Jesus of Nazareth. Most of His life
- birth, ministry, crucifixion - happened right here. Wherever you turn, you
find remnants of eras past, bearing silent witness to the beginnings of
Christianity. Though of the three Abrahamic religions, the Christian population
in Israel is the smallest, Israel is indeed home to thriving pockets of
Christians. Scattered throughout Israel, especially in the northern section,
the Galilee, are small enclaves of Christians, some even living in their own
Christian villages. To lead a Christian life in the land of its birth is truly
a unique experience. And, in fact, Israel is the only Middle Eastern country in
which the Christian population is actually growing.

The kibbutz of Nes Ammim is one such Christian village.
Located in the Western Galilee, near the city of Nahariya, Nes Ammim was
created in the wake of the Holocaust. Christians in Europe, horrified by the
atrocities of the war, decided to do more than offer sympathy. They wanted to
lend a hand in building a homeland for the Jewish people. In the early 1960s,

Israel - the homeland of Jesus of Nazareth. Most of His life - birth, ministry, crucifixion - happened right here. Wherever you turn, you find remnants of eras past, bearing silent witness to the beginnings of Christianity. Though of the three Abrahamic religions, the Christian population in Israel is the smallest, Israel is indeed home to thriving pockets of Christians. Scattered throughout Israel, especially in the northern section, the Galilee, are small enclaves of Christians, some even living in their own Christian villages. To lead a Christian life in the land of its birth is truly a unique experience. And, in fact, Israel is the only Middle Eastern country in which the Christian population is actuallygrowing.

You don't expect to see such tranquility only a few minutes outside of a bustling city. The Baptist Village is just ten minutes from Petach Tikvah, one of Israel's largest cities and itself a part of the bustling Tel Aviv metropolitan area. However, that ten minutes makes all the difference in the world. Stop and listen. No cars whizzing by. No crowdsof people at the restaurants and cafes on every corner. This is the Holy Land as Jesus knew it.

Christian pilgrims are welcome to visit all year round, however they are especially encouraged to come on Saturdays at 10AM since the All Nations Baptist Church is in session then. The services are held in English to accommodate visitors from English speaking countries as well as locals who wish to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. The service lasts for about three hours and afterwards, there isa light lunch and time for communion.