Bethlehem’s Hollow Symbolism Masks Spiritual Desolation
The EWTN News portal (December 8, 2025) reports on Bethlehem’s resumption of Christmas celebrations, including a tree lighting ceremony near the Church of the Nativity after a two-year hiatus during the Gaza conflict. Mayor Maher Canawati justifies the decision by citing economic necessity (“tourism was down to zero”) and vague appeals to “hope,” while Fr. Gabriel Romanelli describes ongoing bombings near Gaza’s Holy Family Church. This spectacle of empty festivity amid violence epitomizes the conciliar sect’s surrender to naturalism.