Vatican City, November 7, 2025 (WAFA) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas inaugurated the “Bethlehem: A New Birth” exhibition at the Vatican.
During the opening of the exhibition, His Excellency stressed the importance of restoring the Church of the Nativity for the Palestinian people as a symbol of their steadfastness and authentic Christian presence in their land, announcing the launch of the Nativity Grotto restoration project, under the supervision of the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs .
This opening comes as a result of cooperation between the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine and the Palestinian Embassy to the Holy See .
The exhibition highlights the restoration project of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, one of the holiest Christian sites in the world, and presents a cultural and humanitarian message that emphasizes that Palestine is not just a political issue, but a living civilization and a rich heritage that continues to thrive despite the challenges.
The exhibition comes at a difficult time for Palestine, carrying a clear message: that Palestine is the land of faith, history and steadfastness. It presents paintings, photographs, archival documents and documentary films of the restoration phases that restored the Church of the Nativity to its historical, aesthetic and artistic splendor, as evidence of the Palestinians’ ability to protect their heritage in the face of attempts at obliteration and distortion .
The exhibition includes architectural models and mosaic panels, and features a diverse cultural program that includes workshops, film screenings, and storytelling to promote understanding between peoples and invite visitors to interact with Palestinian Christian history and culture .
The Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land contributed to the exhibition by lending valuable artifacts, including a copy of the Star of Bethlehem and the Holy Grail used by the Popes during their pilgrimage to the Holy Land, to be part of the exhibition’s journey in highlighting the Palestinian holy heritage .
Ramzi Khoury, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and head of the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine, affirmed that the “Bethlehem: A New Birth” exhibition carries a message of love and peace from the city of the Nativity to the world, embodying the spirit of faith and hope despite the suffering that Palestine is going through.
He pointed out that the project to restore the Grotto of the Nativity, which has not been restored for more than six centuries, will be launched under the supervision of the committee, and headed by the head of the restoration committee, Ambassador Khuloud Daibes, stressing that this work of faith and humanity embodies the unity of the three churches that sponsor the Church of the Nativity, and expresses the determination of the Palestinians to preserve their sacred heritage and protect their civilizational and spiritual message.
Khoury stressed that the exhibition is a global invitation to pilgrimage to Bethlehem, Jerusalem and the rest of the Holy Land, so that the presence of visitors embodies solidarity with the Palestinian people, protects their Christian presence in their land, and strengthens the bridges of communication between the Vatican and the land of the Nativity, stressing that Palestine will remain a beacon of peace, faith and human resilience .
For his part, the Palestinian ambassador to the Vatican, Issa Kassissieh, stressed the symbolic link between the Church of the Nativity and the Vatican, noting that the exhibition represents an invitation to the world to visit Bethlehem and bring pilgrims back to the city of the Nativity, to strengthen solidarity with the Palestinian people and their authentic Christian presence .
Bishop William Shomali and a group of priests presided over the celebratory mass at the Church of San Salvatore in Lauro in Rome.
The celebration was organized by the Embassy of Palestine to the Holy See and the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs. The Mass also marked the 10th anniversary of the canonization of the two Palestinian nuns, Marie Alphonsine Ghattas and Mariam Baouardy.
The Mass was attended by a large number of ambassadors accredited to the Vatican, senior officials of the Holy See and other invitees .
Bishop Shomali began the Mass by welcoming the attendees and pointing out the symbolic significance of the consecration of the two nuns for the Palestinian people, especially the Christian community, while praying for justice and peace for the Holy Land, which has suffered greatly from the war on Gaza in the past two years, emphasizing the importance of building bridges of dialogue based on equality.
He invited those present to make a pilgrimage to Bethlehem, to visit the Church of the Nativity as part of the celebrations of the Holy Jubilee Year .
The opening was attended by: PLO Executive Committee member Ziad Abu Amr, Presidential Advisor for Diplomatic Affairs Majdi Al-Khalidi, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the Holy See Issa Kassissieh, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Italy Mona Abu Amara, Father Ibrahim Faltas from the Custody of the Holy Land, Representative of the Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Europe Ambassador Amira Hanania, and Committee member and Head of the Restoration Committee Ambassador Khuloud Daibes .
It is worth mentioning that the art exhibition was held under the auspices of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Holy Jubilee Year 2025 of the Catholic Church, in partnership with the Bethlehem Development Foundation, and in cooperation with the Custody of the Holy Land, the Vatican Museums, and the Pio Sodalizio di Piccini Association, under the sponsorship and funding of the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs, Bank of Palestine, Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) , Brunello Cucinelli, Piacenti Company, and the Palestinian Investment Fund, in addition to the Catholic Association “Pio Sodalizio di Piccini,” which hosted the exhibition in its museums in Rome
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