Bethlehem Corona is sparsely populated | au Web Portal International News

The Christian sanctuary that celebrated Christmas is quiet. The spread of the new coronavirus has caused a series of blockades in the city, which has changed the scene of the festival.

Bethlehem in the Palestinian Autonomous Region, the birthplace of Christ. Every year, people from all over the world come to see Christmas trees and masses, but this year there are sparse figures in front of the shining tree in front of the Church of Nativity, a World Heritage Site. You can see the locals taking pictures with each other. A man selling balloons was sitting on the stairs in his hand.

Muhammad Svey (32), who visited with three children on the 23rd, said, “I come every year, but this is the first time. Normally, the square is full of people. The virus has changed everything. “.

In the Palestinian Territory and Israel, urban blockades to prevent the spread of infection continue intermittently, making it difficult for foreign tourists to visit. The Mass, which will be held on the night of the 24th at the Church of St. Caterina next to the Church of Nativity, will only be open to priests this year. The state of the mass will be broadcast online.

December is also the time for the tourism industry in Bethlehem, and the corona wreck will be a big blow. Mohamed Salah, 24, who works at a hotel, says he has closed his office since March and has no jobs. “Originally, all the hotels are full at this time,” he sighs.

Even in the surrounding shopping districts, there are many shops with the doors closed. Mahmood Rabaha, 27, who sells necklaces for souvenirs, said, “Sales have dropped by about 90%. I’m doing a day labor job now. I hope it will be a little better next year.” ..

On the morning of the 24th, the plaza in Vatican, the headquarter of Roman Catholicism with about 1.3 billion followers, was almost empty except for police officers.

Every year, many believers and tourists rush to the Christmas tree and the model “Presepio” of the scene of the birth of Christ in the square in front of St. Peter’s Basilica. But this year, the blockade of cities began on the 24th throughout Italy.

In the plaza, police officers keep an eye out for people walking by and priests, saying, “Move without stopping.” Every outing requires a declaration of where to go, and the Catholic Church in Italy is calling on its followers to attend the Christmas Mass at a nearby church. Powell Pruszinski, 53, a priest of a church in Rome, said, “Don’t forget to celebrate Christmas with your family, but this year we want to pray for people all over the world who are suffering from the new corona.” did.

According to the Vatican Press, Pope Francis (84) will also hold a Christmas Eve Mass to minimize the number of clerics entering the cathedral. Since it is prohibited to go out at night from 10 pm in Italy, the start time was advanced by 2 hours to 7:30 pm. (Bethlehem = Ryo Takano, Rome = Shinichi Kawarada)

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