In an historic display of unity, the heads of the 13 traditional churches of Jerusalem gathered together in Bethlehem's Manger Square over the weekend to pray for a joyful Christmas and to launch the millennium celebrations for Christianity's 2000th anniversary. Palestinians, some of them dressed in biblical costumes, danced behind marching bands in the shadow of the Church of the Nativity, built over the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. But the celebrations could not conceal the fact that most of Bethlehem's residents are Muslims.
Christians are a shrinking minority here.
A reminder of the changing demography of this sacred town was the fact that a church choir had to wait until a Muslim service ended at a mosque across Manger Square before singing Christmas carols. Two million tourists are expected to visit Bethlehem next year for the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Christ. Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, signaled the climax of the festivities by switching on the lights of a gigantic Christmas tree to launch a year of activities that he hopes will boost tourism and improve the local economy. Earlier, in a speech read out on his behalf, Arafat had criticized the Israeli government, and stressed his people's need to have independence and freedom. Many other officials present, some of whom were attending a meeting of general secretaries of Christian World Communions, emphasized the importance of the event for Christians world-wide.