Pope Inaugurates Vatican Season with Baby Jesus Draped in Palestinian Keffiyeh

On Saturday, Pope Francis inaugurated the Vatican’s season nativity scene which featured Baby Jesus lying in a cradle draped with a traditional Palestinian keffiyeh.

The nativity, which was designed by Palestinian artists Johny Andonia and Faten Nastas Mitwasi, is part of a larger series of nativity scenes on display at the Vatican this holiday season. Collectively, the nativity scenes are known as the “Nativity of Bethlehem 2024.”

Pope Francis spoke at the inauguration event, encouraging Catholics to “remember the brothers and sisters, who, right there [in Bethlehem] and in other parts of the world, are suffering from the tragedy of war,” adding, “enough war, enough violence!”