Christmas events will be held by a variety of Christian denominations throughout the city. Roman Catholic festivities will be held on 24^th December. Celebrations during the Christmas season are highly important for the city, acting as a boost for the local economy through tourism.

Bethlehem’s mayor Anton Salman said: “We will have the Christmas market for two days. After that, we have a Christmas village for the children. Then we have a lecture of the meanings of Christmas in the Palestinian community from an academic point of view and from the religious point of view. We have a choir and orchestra that is going to take place at the Church of the Nativity. Then we have the most amount of Santa Clauses we have ever had visiting the city.”

Salman says they are expecting many tourists this year, 220,000 flocked to the city in November. This year the city’s Christmas theme is joy, “Joy for the world, for all the people and all those who believe and are celebrating Christmas,” Salman said.

The Israel Defense Force’s Civil Administration, which works in coordination with the Palestinian Authority, organized the passage of the Custodian of the Holy Land from the Mar Elias Monastery to Bethlehem, accompanied and protected by the IDF, Israeli Police and…

Emotional tributes have been paid to a 12-year-old boy who was mowed down as he left school with his friends in what police believe was a deliberate hit-and-run crash.

The pupil, named locally as Harley Watson, suffered fatal injuries after a car hurtled into a crowd of youngsters outside Debden Park High School in Loughton, Essex, on Monday afternoon.

Two 15-year-old boys, a 13-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl, a 12-year-old boy and a 23-year-old woman were also injured, Essex Police said.

A 51-year-old man remains in police custody on suspicion of murder, six counts of attempted murder and one of causing death by dangerous driving.

He is also accused of six offences of causing serious injury by driving, failing to stop at the scene of a collision and driving without insurance

The arrest came after detectives appealed to find Loughton man Terry Glover over the incident.

According to the BBC, Rev Chris Davies spent the morning at the school where Harley was a pupil, a church spokesman confirmed.

“It is a very, very difficult event,” he said on Monday.

“It’s not something you expect to happen in a place like Loughton and the number of children who witnessed it were very upset.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the families concerned and all at the school.”

Tearful parents and pupils have laid floral bouquets near the entrance to the school.

At St Nicholas Church, Bedhampton from 1st-24th December people are invited to ‘Shedvent’ where the inside of a shed is decorated and people sing or share a Christmas carol in various creative ways.

Organisers Gill and Roger Matthews have recruited church and community groups, including the local primary school, Cubs, Guides, mothers and toddlers group, WI and church groups are all having a go.

The theme is Christmas carols and every day the empty shed is filled with something different. People will be dressed up inside the shed to illustrate ‘Silent Night’, and there will be a recreation of Bethlehem in cardboard for ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’.

Each day at 5pm the shed doors are flung open to reveal that day’s surprise decoration and carol told or sung in various ways reflecting different parts of Christmas.

The rector of Bedhampton, Rev Max Cross told Premier: “We’re serving the community of Bedhampton by sharing God’s love and friendship, which means that we want to share the love of God and remind people as we walk up towards Christmas, we are walking towards the Christ child, we are walking towards Jesus who is our Saviour, who came not just generally for people, but specifically for you.

“We want to remind people that in a friendly and easy to understand…

The university said in a statement that a standing ovation greeted Dr John Sentamu “who has been a guiding light and figurehead of Cumbria’s university since its inception as he accepted its first honorary doctorate” during a ceremony at Carlisle Cathedral.

Dr Sentamu is the first person to wear the distinctive blue and silver doctorate robe that will be worn by those who will receive PhDs and other research awards from the university.

Dr Sentamu, who became the university’s chancellor in 2007, has shaken the hands of around 33,000 graduates of Cumbria’s university.

Prof Diane Cox, director of research at University of Cumbria, said: “In the last 12 years Dr Sentamu has supported and guided our university through periods of significant change, investment and development.

“He has promoted academic excellence throughout his tenure and endorsed our activities toward achieving research degree awarding powers – successfully attained in March 2019.”

Speaking of Dr Sentamu’s upcoming retirement starting in June 2020, Prof Cox said: “We pay tribute to the vision, enthusiasm and determination he has shown throughout his life and career – he is an inspirational leader and ambassador for young people as the leaders of today.”

The nostalgic Dr Sentamu said: “I feel like a parent watching a child grow. I’m leaving at a time when the finances, the teaching and research, the…

Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland launched the 2019 online Advent calendar on the Church’s website.

Now in its sixth year, the calendar offers resources for churches, schools and families aimed at helping people to pray and to reflect on how they can keep Christ at the centre of their Christmas preparations.

The interactive Advent calendar has family prayers and suggestions for #LivingAdvent – acts of kindness that all have been encouraged to undertake during the month of December. The calendar also shares tips on how families can care for creation by having a more sustainable Christmas.

Welcoming this year’s Advent calendar Archbishop Eamon said: “The season of Advent marks the beginning of the Catholic New Year and the time of spiritual preparation for the Lord’s coming at Christmas. It is a time of waiting, conversion and hope. Advent also prepares us for the second coming of Christ at the end of time. As Christians, we must always be prepared for the coming of the Lord – ‘You must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do no not expect’ [Mt 24:37-44].

“Preparation does not happen at once but over time and so each day of Advent allows us to reflect on the joy of the Gospel. Our online calendar is a helpful resource on this journey. By clicking on the virtual doors each of the days of Advent, we are…

Pastor at Early Rain Covenant Church, Qin Defu, was charged with “illegal business operations.”

According to Christian religious freedom charity China Aid, Pastor Defu learned at his trial on 25th November that he was being sentenced because of 20,000 Christian books the church used.

Pastor Defu’s imprisonment comes after authorities promised his family that he would be released if he accepted a state-appointed attorney, which he did.

Pastor Qin Defu (holding baby) and his family

Pastor Defu’s attorney said the church’s head pastor, Wang Yi, admitted in a testimony that he was involved with these books.

Pastor Yi is also imprisoned. According to China Aid, the lawyer has speculated he would receive no less than a 10-year sentence.

Authorities seized around 100 members of Early Rain Covenant Church during the night last December.

Most of them have since been released.

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