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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Photo: AP
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal, center, walks towards Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, 24 Dec 2009
Thousands of people have attended Christmas Eve celebrations at the birthplace of Christianity in Bethlehem.
Christmas Eve began with festive2 marches through Manger Square by Palestinian boy and girl scouts3. The celebrations took place outside the ancient Church of the Nativity, where tradition says Jesus was born.
Bethlehem is in the Palestinian-ruled West Bank, and religion mixed with nationalism. Manger Square was decked out with Christmas trees and lights and Palestinian flags.
Religious observances began with the arrival of the Latin Patriarch, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in the Holy Land.
Priests and monks4 in white robes held a procession into the Church of the Nativity leaving a trail of fragrant5 incense6. Pilgrims from around the world looked on, including Paul Edelman from the U.S. state of Iowa. "Just the festivities, the idea that this is the birthplace of Christ, and you get to see all the historic places and share it with people from around the world; it's a very nice experience," he said.
Palestinian police with assault rifles patrolled the streets but the atmosphere was calm. A lull7 in violence brought a big turnout of tourists; some 70,000 are expected to visit Bethlehem this week.
Palestinian shopkeeper Nadia Hazboun said the security situation in the West Bank is much better than a few years ago, when there was fighting with Israel and militants8 ruled the streets. "It was bad, now it is good. I told you, before anybody take the law in his (own) hands. But now the law (is) with the police. We have security, we have calm, we have now the best situation in Bethlehem," he said.
At the same time, the Palestinians complain that Israel's separation wall at the entrance to Bethlehem casts a dark shadow over Christmas. Israel erected9 the wall to stop a wave of suicide bombers10, but Bethlehem Mayor Victor Batarseh says the town of Jesus' birth has become a prison. "We need bridges of love and understanding between the people, not walls of hatred," he said.
Batarseh, who is a Christian1, said Bethlehem still brings hope at Christmas, with its eternal message of peace on earth, goodwill11 toward men.
1 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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2 festive | |
adj.欢宴的,节日的 | |
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3 scouts | |
侦察员[机,舰]( scout的名词复数 ); 童子军; 搜索; 童子军成员 | |
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4 monks | |
n.修道士,僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
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5 fragrant | |
adj.芬香的,馥郁的,愉快的 | |
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6 incense | |
v.激怒;n.香,焚香时的烟,香气 | |
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7 lull | |
v.使安静,使入睡,缓和,哄骗;n.暂停,间歇 | |
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8 militants | |
激进分子,好斗分子( militant的名词复数 ) | |
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9 ERECTED | |
adj. 直立的,竖立的,笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立,建立 | |
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10 bombers | |
n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 );投弹手;安非他明胶囊;大麻叶香烟 | |
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11 goodwill | |
n.善意,亲善,信誉,声誉 | |
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