Christmas in St. James Vicariate 2025

Jaffa

On Christmas Eve, all the members of the community in Jaffa gathered together with some of our dear guests in the beloved and brightly decorated St. Peter's Church for a festive Christmas Mass. After the Eucharist, we moved to the hall where we enjoyed a sumptuous holiday meal that we had prepared and brought with us. Later, we watched a film of the Jubilee Pilgrimage we experienced together in Rome and the Vatican. The meeting with the Holy Father moved us once again, and of course, we relived all the wonderful moments and places we visited, strengthening our hearts in faith! Finally, Santa Claus visited us and handed out gifts to everyone - we were as happy as children!

We also thank Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa for his personal blessing cards, which we received with great joy. It was very moving! We wish him every grace from our Lord.

Tiberias

Christmas Eve Mass was celebrated at 8:00 PM in the parish of St. Peter in Tiberias on Wednesday, December 24th. Approximately 120 people attended the celebration. In addition to local parishioners, many Filipinos, people from India and Sri Lanka, and some pilgrims from around the world also participated.

The Mass, held in English with a Hebrew translation of the homily, was presided over by Fr. Giuseppe De Nardi, general moderator of Koinonia John the Baptist. During the homily, Fr. Giuseppe, commenting on the readings, urged everyone to welcome the joyful news described in Luke’s Gospel, chapter 2, in which the angel invites the shepherds to reach the Savior’s cave:

“Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all the people: for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:10-12).

Fr. Giuseppe continued:

“Besides welcoming the invitation of joy that this birth wishes to bring into our lives, we are called to open our hearts to this child so that he may reign in our hearts, in our lives, in our relationships, and fulfill his promise of love for us: may he bring living water to the arid desert of our hearts, heal our wounds, bring reconciliation where there is division, convert our rigid patterns to the newness of his love, and free us from the slavery of sin.”

During the homily, a representation was performed in which the angel invited those present to welcome the joyful news of the Savior’s birth, pointing to a young Mary holding the nativity figurine of the Baby Jesus. Mary, advancing from the church atrium, reached the sanctuary and handed the Baby Jesus to Fr. Joseph, who placed him inside the nativity scene.

After the homily, Fr. Joseph led a moment of prayer and adoration, during which we proclaimed the lordship of Jesus in our lives.

The service was accompanied by Christmas carols, led by the sisters of Koinonia John the Baptist. In addition to Fr. Joseph and Fr. Andrej, the parish priest and leader of the Vicariate community, the celebration was also attended by Fr. Ricardo Argañaraz, founder of Koinonia John the Baptist; Fr. Milan Bednárik, a Slovakian priest of the community; and Daniel Suchożebrski, a newly ordained deacon, who proclaimed the Gospel in Hebrew.

After the service, we celebrated the joy of Christmas with a moment of sharing in the refectory of Casa Nova.

On Christmas Day, December 25th, at 11:00 a.m., Mass was celebrated in English, presided over by Fr. Andrej. The homily was preached by Fr. Ricardo, who commented on the prologue of the Gospel of John (John 1:1-18), urging the assembly to rejoice in the newness that Jesus brought with his birth:

“There is no room for sadness on a day like this, but we are called to rejoice in what the Lord has done for us and to be witnesses, with our lives and our voices, of this extraordinary grace that Jesus has given us: the concrete gift of His love. A God who became man for us, the Word who became flesh, the triune God who deigned to dwell among us - a humanity wounded by sin, who walked in darkness and who was surprisingly reached by the rays of light of His salvation and redemption.”

The service concluded in a joyful atmosphere, with Christmas carols and the customary exchange of greetings.

Beer Sheva

This year, our community traveled to Haifa before Christmas. We organized the event as a half-day retreat and a half-day excursion in the most decorated city for Christmas in our country. We began by visiting the church in Muchraka, where we celebrated Mass and reflected on spiritual preparation for the Solemnity of the Nativity. In the afternoon, some visited the city to admire the decorations and shop, while others stayed in the Haifa community for prayer and adoration.

Before the Feast, as every year, we prepared food gifts that we distributed to several families.

On Christmas Eve, our small chapel was filled to capacity with community members and guests, and some participants even stood outside. Every year, we notice an increase in the desire to participate in the Christmas Eve Mass. The number of participants grows, the joy grows - and so do the worries about what will happen next year! Even in the community hall, during refreshments after Mass, it was difficult to find a place to sit or stand. But the evening passed with great joy, and the participants returned home happy with a small gift of Panettone, the traditional Italian Christmas cake.

On Christmas Day, after the festive Mass, we sat together, ate, drank, and sang Christmas carols. This celebration was also full of joy and peace.

On Friday, December 26th, in the afternoon, together with Greg, the volunteer, we traveled to Dimona to visit a large family who could not come to the church in Be’er Sheva. We celebrated the Lord’s Supper at their home. After the prayer, we sang Christmas carols with them and thanked God for this special experience of a family celebration.

Russian-Speaking Communities

Fr. Piotr celebrated Christmas Eve Mass in Tel Aviv and Haifa in Russian. On Christmas Day, the Eucharist was celebrated in Emmaus, always followed by a common meal and confessions beforehand. Children in Haifa were delighted by the presence of Santa Claus, who brought them small gifts. Gifts for all participants were also placed under the tree in Tel Aviv. Fr. Piotr was interviewed by the Israeli TV Channel Kan 11, where he spoke about the new Pope, the message of Christmas, and the situation of Christians in Israel.

Jerusalem

Christmas 2025 was a true blessing for our community. It was the first holiday without war since 2023, and we all felt the difference deep in our souls. The period of Great Advent, which this year lasted 10 weeks, provided significant spiritual preparation and culminated in a day of retreat on December 13th (see more here: HERE).

On December 24th, Mass began at 9:00 PM. This year, we were blessed with so many guests that not only was the chapel of Sts. Simeon and Hannah filled to capacity, but friends, guests, and visitors also stood at the entrance - about 120 people in total, including three rabbis, who are good friends of the community. Fr. Benny celebrated the Mass, and afterwards we all gathered in the parish hall for light refreshments and a cup of hot chocolate.

On December 25th, we started earlier, at 5:00 PM, with Fr. David Neuhaus celebrating the Lord’s Supper and Fr. Benny leading the singing. At the end of the Mass, a big celebration began in the courtyard, with the Korean community preparing traditional food, along with other food stalls offering a variety of dishes. At 6:45 PM, everyone returned to the chapel for an hour of Christmas carols in different languages, games, and the exchange of gifts.

We thank Jesus our God for such a beautiful and heartwarming gift.

Haifa

As every year, the Haifa community celebrated Christmas in the festive atmosphere of a city beautifully decorated and illuminated for the feasts of lights: Hanukkah and the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the true light who comes into the world.

On Christmas Eve, December 24th, the community gathered in the chapel in an atmosphere of joy and anticipation. So many people came that there was hardly any room left! The Mass was celebrated solemnly, accompanied by the joyful singing of traditional Christmas carols in different languages. After the Eucharist, everyone shared a festive dinner together in the garden, strengthening bonds of friendship and faith.

On December 26th, the feast of St. Stephen, we organized a special Christmas party for the children. In the afternoon, we celebrated Mass, during which the icon of Christmas was explained to the children, revealing its richness of detail and the power of its message. After Mass, families enjoyed a generous meal with plenty of meat, desserts, and festive dishes. The cheerful atmosphere created by the children brought joy to all, fostering communion and dialogue among families.

Finally, at the end of the Christmas Octave, on December 31st, we gathered to celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. What better way to conclude the year than by giving thanks to God? During Communion, we sang the psalm: “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord” - a prayer of gratitude for all the blessings received during a year marked by the suffering of war. The celebration ended with the Magnificat, joining in Mary’s joy and entrusting the new year to her maternal care.