“Living in Bethlehem and celebrating Christmas in the place where Jesus was born to me is a true blessing, regardless of limitations and challenges faced as a religious minority group.” Farah Masoud and Lara Mitri write about the Orthodox Christmas Eve in Palestine.

“As a Palestinian woman, I have always belonged to too many marginalised groups; a woman, a Palestinian, a Christian in a Jewish state. I have often felt that I am standing alone, always aware that our leaders could not be relied on to care for us. Instead, we have to do it.” Sally Azzam writes about Christmas in Nazareth as a child.

“Yes, we are living in darkness these days and it is not just in Palestine. It is everywhere. It is time for us to stop blaming the darkness for being too dark and start looking for the light that is fully present in each one of us and that light will shine only when we do what we are called to do.” Sami Awad from Bethlehem shares his thoughts at Advent.