Across the world, Christians have begun marking Christmas with services, with Pope Francis holding midnight mass at the Vatican, the BBC reported.
In the holy city of Bethlehem, the West Bank town where it is believed that Jesus was born, events have been overshadowed by recent violence between Palestinians and Israelis.
“There’s lights, there’s carols, but there’s an underlying sense of tension,” one pilgrim to Bethlehem, Briton Paul Haines, told Associated Press news agency.
BETHLEHEM
Image copyright: EPAImage caption: An Armenian priest prays during Mass in the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, accepted by Christians as the birthplace of Jesus ChristImage copyright: ReutersImage caption: Nigerian pilgrims pray inside inside the Grotto, where Christians believe Virgin Mary gave birth to JesusImage copyrightReutersImage caption: Bethlehem has been the scene of violent clashes in late 2015
VATICAN CITY
Image copyright: AFP/Getty ImagesImage caption: Pope Francis said Christmas was the time to “once more discover who we are”
BEIJING
Image copyright: AFP/Getty ImagesImage caption: A cross-bearer prepares to enter Beijing’s Catholic Church for MassImage copyright: AFP/Getty Images Image caption: The US and British embassies in China had issued a warning about a terror threat in BeijingImage copyright: AFP/Getty ImagesImage caption: Young Chinese worshippers attend the Christmas Eve Mass in China’s capital
IRAQ
Image copyright: AFP/Getty ImagesImage caption: Hundreds attended Mass at the Catholic Church of Our Lady of Deliverance/Salvation in central BaghdadImage copyright: AFP/Getty ImagesImage caption: Christians in Iraq have faced persecution by the so-called Islamic State
INDONESIA
Image copyright: AFP/Getty ImagesImage caption: Thousands of people held candles at a service in the city of SurabayaImage copyright: EPA