Born
in 1942, Aida Qattan is a remarkable Palestinian woman
who is a native of Jesus' birth city, Bethlehem.
While she still engages her family in most Easter
traditions she also recalls a different time when
Christians in Palestine were able to enjoy their
holiday with much more mobility. This week she is
coloring eggs, making ka'k o ma'moul
(Palestinian Easter cookies) and preparing for a feast
of mansaf to host her family for Easter Sunday. She
does not need more than a couple of old cans, some
vinegar, red beets, and coloring tablets to make a
splendid assortment of Easter eggs. As she places a
blue egg in a crate she recalls how in previous years
everyone from Bethlehem was able to go to Jerusalem and
participate in the tradition of reenacting the
welcoming of Jesus from the wilderness. While she was
able to go to Jerusalem this year, many people from her
community could not go and worship in the Church of the
Holy Sepulcher because they could not obtain permits
from Israel. "Going to Jerusalem for us on Palm
Sunday is very important. Easter is the biggest holiday
for us. It is the most important both religiously and
culturally. We live in the land where Jesus lived and
where his miracles took place. It is not a commercial
holiday. It is a time when families get together and
share their joy with the whole community."
Indeed, Easter celebrations in Palestine in general and in
Bethlehem and Jerusalem in particular have a special
vigor. From Palm Sunday until Easter Day sounds of church
bells, drums, boys and girls scouts performing in the
streets, and the chanting of hymns create a magical
atmosphere that expresses a sense of spirituality that is
deeply rooted in a community that is literally thousands
of years old. According to Aida, " Jesus was
Palestinian. He is one of us. As the followers of Jesus we
are the first Christian community and we have lived for
centuries in the same towns and villages where he
lived."
However,
walking in the streets of Bethlehem one cannot help but
feel a sense of complexity. Crosses on top of church
towers and sounds of bells ringing in Holy Week are
juxtaposed against the oppressing image of the concrete
apartheid wall that cuts in the heart of the city. The
wall, many here say, is turning Bethlehem and its
inhabitants into prisoners who have limited access not
only to their holy sites but also to their families in
neighboring Jerusalem. Aida's son for example is
married to a woman from Jerusalem. For Aida to visit
him and his family in their home is almost impossible
except on special occasions when she is granted a
permit to enter for medical reasons. When asked how she
felt about the separation wall and the changes that she
has witnessed in the last sixty years or so, she nods
with a faithful smile and says, "We are suffering
the way Jesus suffered. We are carrying the cross and
the burden of being an oppressed people. We learn from
him to be patient because we know that the way he has
risen, we too will rise."
Indeed, Palestinian Christians are continuing to be
steadfast in the face of 45 years of Israeli military
occupation that has caused their presence to dwindle in
the land that has been their home since the beginning of
Christianity. This is why Easter celebrations in Jerusalem
continue to have a significant communal expression that
affirms the living presence of a people. According to
sociologist and Palestinian Jerusalemite, Dr. Bernard
Sabella, "This affirmation of Palestinian Christian
presence highlights the fact that in spite of the
dwindling numbers of Palestinian Christians and of the
dire political situation, we Palestinian Christians remain
part of our society and of the Palestinian landscape and
adds variety, steadfastness and hope to
/p>
Institute for
Middle East Understanding
