If you’re celebrating Christmas in Israel, here’s the official list of Christmas Mass celebrations in Bethlehem this year.
And if you’re looking for something further afield, check out our guide to the Top 10 things to see and do to feel festive in the Holy Land!
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
| DECEMBER 24 (Saturday) | 1.00 pm at the Tomb of Rachel | The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Fouad Twal is welcomed by Latin Parish Priest of Bethlehem and representatives of Bethlehem, Beit Jala and Beit Sahour. |
| 2.30 pm at the Manger Square | Solemn Entry of His Beatitude into the Basilica of the Nativity and St. Catherine Church followed by Pontifical Vespers. | |
| 4.00 pm at St. Catherine | Daily Procession to the Nativity Grotto. | |
| 9.00 pm at St. Catherine | The Church opens (Tickets required). | |
| 11.10 pm at St. Catherine | SOLEMN “OFFICE OF READINGS”. | |
| DECEMBER 25 (Sunday) | 0.00 am at St. Catherine | PONTIFICAL EUCHARISTIC CONCELEBRATION (Tickets required) |
| 0.00 am at the Manger Grotto | Low Masses till 1.30 am in Arabic (Tickets required) | |
| 1.30 am at St. Catherine | Solemn traditional Procession to the Grotto until 2.30am. | |
| 2.30 am at the Manger Grotto | Low Masses till 5.15 pm (no tickets required), Interruption at 5.30 am till 7.00 am approximately. |
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| 7.30 am at St. Catherine | PARISH MASS IN ARABIC. | |
| 10.00 am at St. Catherine | PONTIFICAL CHRISTMAS MASS IN ARABIC AND LATIN. | |
| 2.00 pm | Pilgrimage to the Greek and then to the Latin Shepherd’s Field. | |
| DECEMBER 26 (Monday) – Feast of St. Stephen | In the Manger Grotto at 5.00 am and 7.30 | Holy Masses |
| At St. Catherine at 6.30 am (Italian), 7.00 am (Arabic) | Holy Masses | |
| 12.00 pm | Daily Procession to the Grotto | |
| DECEMBER 27 (Tuesday) – Feast of St. John Evangelist | In the Manger Grotto at 5.00 am and 7.30 | Holy Masses |
| At St. Catherine at 6.30 am (Italian) and 7.00 am (Arabic) | Holy Masses | |
| 12.00 pm | Daily Procession to the Grotto | |
| DECEMBER 28 (Wednesday) – Feast of the Holy Innocents | At St. Catherine at 6.30 am (Italian) and 7.00 am (Arabic) | Holy Masses |
| 10.00 am | SUNG MASS (Latin) IN THE GROTTO OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS. | |
| 12.00 pm | Daily Procession to the Grotto. | |
| 2.00 pm | Vespers in the Grotto of the Holy Innocents. | |
| DECEMBER 29 (Thursday) | In the Manger Grotto at 5.00 am and 7.30 am | Holy Masses |
| 12.00 pm | Daily Procession to the Grotto | |
| 3.00 pm | Shepherd’s Field, Solemn Mass at in commemoration of the Shepherds. | |
| DECEMBER 31 (Saturday) | In the Manger Grotto at 5.00 am and 7.30 am | Holy Masses |
| 2.00 pm | SOLEMN VESPERS WITH PROCESSION TO THE GROTTO. | |
| 4.30 pm | Holy Mass of Thanksgiving (Arabic) with TE DEUM. | |
| 2012, JANUARY 1 (Sunday) | In the Manger Grotto at 5.00 am and 7.30 | Holy Masses |
| At St. Catherine at 6.30 am (Italian), 7.30 am (Arabic), 9.00 am (Arabic) | Holy Masses | |
| 11.00 am (Arabic) | SOLEMN MASS followed by Procession to the Milk Grotto with the Icon of Virgin Mary. | |
| JANUARY 5 (Tuesday) – Eve of Epiphany | In the Manger Grotto at 5.00 am and 7.30 | Holy Masses |
| 11.00 am at the Tomb of Rachel | His Paternity the Custos of the Holy Land is welcomed by Latin Parish Priest and other representatives of Bethlehem. |
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| 1.45 pm at St. Catherine | PONTIFICAL VESPERS AND PROCESSION TO THE GROTTO. | |
| 3.30 pm at St. Catherine | OFFICE OF READINGS AND PROCESSION TO THE GROTTO. | |
| JANUARY 6 (Wednesday) – Epiphany | Midnight at the Grotto | Holy Masses till 9.00 am with an interruption between 1.00 am and 2.30 am approximately. |
| 7.00 am at St. Catherine | Holy Mass. | |
| 10.00 am at St. Catherine | PONTIFICAL MASS (Latin and Arabic). | |
| 3.30 pm at St. Catherine | SOLEMN VESPERS AND SOLEMN TRADITIONAL PROCESSION TO THE GROTTO: VENERATION OF THE INFANT JESUS WITH THE GIFTS OF GOLD, INCENSE AND MYRRH. |