In the morning of Thursday, December 29, the eastern Christian churches gathered in the Custody of the Holy Land, in the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem for the traditional exchange of Christmas Greetings.
An ancient rite: it has been a busy morning in the holy city, marked by the pace of the sticks of the kawas, the beaters with the Ottoman fez, just before the arrival of the different parades: the Eastern Christian churches indeed traveled to the Custody of the Holy Land and to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem for the traditional exchange of Christmas greetings.
As per tradition, Greek Orthodox, Armenians, and finally Copts and Syrian Orthodox followed one another in the Custody in an atmosphere of brotherhood, joy and harmony. Cooperation, respect and mutual understanding were the basis for the exchange of greetings, and once again emphasized the importance of a Christian community united in faith as well as in the everyday life.