Photographs from Christmas 2025 capture communities observing the holiday with a mix of long-standing and newer traditions from Bethlehem to Beijing. Scenes include a procession at the Church of the Nativity, Christmas Eve services in Yangon and Beijing, a charity swim in Northern Ireland, and illuminated churches in India. The coverage highlights how celebrations continued even amid conflicts and humanitarian crises in Myanmar, Ukraine and Gaza.
Christmas 2025: Scenes of Hope and Tradition From Bethlehem to Beijing
Yangon, Burma (Myanmar.) / Credit: Thein Zaw / AP
Families and faith communities across the globe observed Christmas 2025 with a blend of long-standing customs and newer traditions — from a tree-lighting in Bethlehem to a papal appeal for “24 hours of peace.” Amid ongoing conflicts and humanitarian crises, many people focused their celebrations on family, prayer and acts of charity.
Middle East: Bethlehem and Iraq
In Bethlehem, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem led the annual procession outside the Church of the Nativity, drawing thousands from nearby towns and villages. It was the first such ceremony held since the Gaza war began in 2023. In Iraq, worshippers attended a Christmas Eve service at the Monastery of the Martyrs Mar Behnam and Marth Sarah in Qaraqosh — one of the country’s oldest Christian sites. The monastery, with roots as early as the 4th century, was badly damaged by ISIS in 2015 and has been part of local restoration efforts.
Asia: Myanmar, China, Indonesia
In Yangon, Myanmar, Christians gathered for prayers at St. Mary Cathedral on Christmas Eve. Religious freedom has deteriorated in the country amid a persistent civil war; a U.S. commission reported more than 3.4 million people displaced, including roughly 320,000 Christians and about one million Rohingya Muslim refugees.
In Beijing, worshippers attended Christmas Eve services while a polar-bear mascot entertained visitors outside some venues. Pew Research Center’s 2023 analysis estimates around 20 million Christians in China — about 2% of the population — a share that has stabilized in recent years.
In Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Catholics wearing traditional Javanese attire gathered for Mass at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Ganjuran. Vatican News notes that three popes have visited Indonesia’s Catholic community in recent decades.
Europe: Germany, Northern Ireland, Ukraine
In Frankfurt, crowds filled Römerberg square to hear the city’s bells on Christmas Eve; Germany hosts thousands of holiday markets each year — often cited at 2,500 to 3,000 across the country. In Helen’s Bay, Northern Ireland, hundreds braved icy waters for the annual Christmas Eve swim in Belfast Lough, raising funds for Dementia NI and Air Ambulance NI.
In Lviv, Ukrainian servicemen participated in a parade on Orthodox Christmas Eve. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022, Ukrainians have continued to mark religious holidays even while living under the strains of conflict.
South Asia
In India, churches were illuminated and communities gathered to celebrate. Pew Research Center estimates roughly 28 million Christians in India, who observe a variety of regional and cultural Christmas traditions.
Across Continents, a Common Thread
From solemn processions and midnight Masses to community fundraisers and festive markets, Christmas 2025 showed how faith and family rituals endure even amid global challenges.
Frankfurt, Germany. / Credit: Michael Probst / AP
Beijing, China. / Credit: Ng Han Guan / AP
Helen's Bay, Northern Ireland. / Credit: Peter Morrison / AP
Ahmedabad, India. / Credit: Ajit Solanki / AP
Lviv, Ukraine. / Credit: Mykola Tys / AP
Bethlehem. / Credit: Ilia Yefimovich /AFP via Getty Images
Nineveh Governorate, Iraq. / Credit: Ismael Adnan Yaqoob/Anadolu via Getty Images
Yogyakarta, Indonesia. / Credit: DEVI RAHMAN /AFP via Getty Images
