Milton Keynes community to hold vigil beside 'Jesus in the rubble' nativity in solidarity with Palestinians

The Milton Keynes community is coming together for a ‘Nativity in the rubble’, in solidarity with Palestinians.

On Wednesday (December 20), people from across Milton Keynes are being invited to come together outside The Church of Christ the Cornerstone to hold a candlelit vigil beside a life-size nativity with baby Jesus lying among rubble.

Vigil organisers have been inspired by churches in Jerusalem which will not celebrate Christmas this year because of the ongoing massacre in Palestine by Israel. One church in Bethlehem has replaced the traditional nativity scene with a baby Jesus wrapped in a Palestinian keffiyeh – or headdress – buried under rubble.

In a news report to Al Jazeera, Bethlehem-based Pastor Munther Ishaq explained it was impossible to celebrate when there is a massacre taking place in Gaza and it was ‘what Christmas looked like’ at the birthplace of Jesus.

The Revd Gill Barrow-Jones, from Wolverton, said: “In the Christmas story we hear angels sing of the promise of peace. The song that rang out from the Bethlehem fields that first Christmas, is echoed by Christians around the world today who are praying for a lasting peace for the people of both Israel and Palestine.”

The event will begin at 5.30pm, ending at 6.30pm. Attendees are invited to bring placards, banners and messages of solidarity. They are also invited to bring their own homemade rubble crafted from cardboard to contribute to the nativity scene.