|
Christians converge on Bethlehem to celebrate Christmas
Friday December 24, 2010 07:40:42 PM,
DPA
|
|
Bethlehem (West Bank): Thousands of Christian faithful from all over the world converged
on Bethlehem Friday to celebrate Christmas in the town where,
according to the Biblical account, Jesus was born.
By late morning, Manger Square, outside the Church of the
Nativity, was packed with pilgrims, waiting for the arrival of the
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, the highest-ranking Roman Catholic
cleric in the Holy Land.
The Patriarch is scheduled to leave Jerusalem in the early
afternoon for the annual procession to Bethlehem, where he will be
escorted into the city by local clerics and dignitaries.
In the evening, choirs will sing carols in Manger Square and at
midnight the Patriarch, Fouad Tawal will conduct mass.
Although surrounded by a high wall which forms part of Israel's
West Bank barrier, Bethlehem is packed this year, with no
accommodation available in any of its hotels.
Palestinian tourism officials estimate that by year's end up to
two million people will have visited the southern West Bank town.
|
|
Home |
Top of the Page |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Top
Stories |
|
CBI
raids Kalmadi's Delhi, Pune residences, Games office
CBI Friday raided the Delhi and Pune homes of Commonwealth Games
Organising Committee chief Suresh Kalmadi as well as the Games
office here, two months after the mega event ended amid
allegations of major financial irregularities.
»
Suresh
Kalmadi's premises raided by CBI
|
|
|
|
Picture of the Day |
|
 |
|
Union
Minister for Textiles Dayanidhi Maran at the Handloom
Fashion Show, in New Delhi on December 21, 2010. Secretary
(Textiles), Mrs. Rita Menon is also seen.
(Photo: N.
Varadharajan) |
|
|
|
|
Most
Read |
|
 Anarchists behind Rome mail bombs
Package bombs exploded at the Swiss and
Chilean embassies in Rome on Thursday, wounding the two people who
opened them, in attacks that bore similarities to bombings by
anarchists in Greece last month
» |
|
A
madrassa starts yoga, propagates communal harmony
Shortly after reciting 'Bismillah al-Rahman
al-Rahim' from the Holy Quran, hundreds of students at a madrassa
here fall in line for their first lesson of the day - yoga taught
by a Hindu teacher.
Imdadul-Jamia-Uloom Madrassa in Karari town in Uttar Pradesh's
Kaush
» |
|
|
|
News Pick |
|
CBI
questions RSS leader in Hyderabad bombing
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Indresh
Kumar faced questioning by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
for more than three hours Thursday
»
Samjhauta train blasts: Hindu leader sent to police custody |
|
China
ready to recognize Palestinian State
Chinese
Deputy Foreign Minister Zhia Jun stressed that China is prepared
to renew its recognition of a Palestinian state if the UN Security
Council or the United Nations pass such a resolution. He pointed
out that
»
|
|
Rights
activist Binayak Sen convicted, arrested
Rights
activist Binayak Sen, accused of links with Maoists, was Friday
convicted for sedition and conspiracy by a Chhattisgarh court and
arrested soon after, leaving his family and fellow activists
shaken and disappointed.
» |
|
All but
50 Kashmir stone pelters released: Padgaonkar
The central interlocutors in Jammu and
Kashmir Thursday said more political prisoners and youth arrested
during the unrest
»
After 5
months, Kashmir rail services back on track |
|
 Former
Kerala chief minister Karunakaran dead, cremation Saturday
Veteran Congress leader K. Karunakaran,
who was four times chief minister of Kerala, died in a hospital here
» |
|
|
|
|
Comments
|
Quick links