Vatican nativity scarf removed

A Nativity scene displayed at the Vatican that depicted the infant Jesus resting upon a Palestinian keffiyeh has now been removed after causing significant controversy.

Pope Francis had unveiled this year’s nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square on 7 December in the Vatican’s Paul VI audience hall.

The placing of Infant Jesus upon a piece of cloth that serves as the traditional Palestinian head dress lead many to interpret the gesture as a political statement on the part of the Holy See.

Its design, which includes a distinctive fishnet pattern, reflects the historical Mediterranean fish trade, while the bold lines represent ancient trade routes, and olive leaves honor the olive trees that are vital to Palestinian culture.

Called the “Nativity of Bethlehem 2024″, the scene was displayed in the Vatican’s Paul VI audience hall and was designed by Palestinian artists Johny Andonia and Faten Nastas Mitwasi, standing nearly 10 feet tall and crafted from olive trees in the Holy Land.

During Saturday’s audience, the Pope called for an end to war and conflict, asking believers 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”.

“Enough war, enough violence!” he said, while lamenting the commercial arms trade and describing how the weapons industry “earns money to kill”.

Ramzi Khouri, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) executive committee, in a press release conveyed the “warm greetings” of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and expressed “deep gratitude for the Pope’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and his tireless efforts to end the war on Gaza and promote justice”.

Addressing the Pope, one X user posted: “You attending this nativity showing baby Jesus lying on a keffiyeh, implying Yeshua was a Palestinian, is awful.”

Another commented “This misrepresentation is one of the worst things he can do.”

Objections to the scene included the historical contradictions in how this particular Nativity was depicted. Referring to Jesus’s own historical Jewish roots – having been born to Jewish parents in what was then the Roman province of Judea – one online commentator wrote, “Does the pope think Jesus wasn’t a Jew either? Did he even read the Bible?”

Another discontented observer said on social media platform X that, “The Pope is exploiting Christmas to advance the ridiculous effort to rebrand Jesus as Palestinian rather than what He was – a Jew who fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy of a Messiah.”

Pope Francis has repeatedly condemned the war in Gaza since it erupted following the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas militants on Israel, leaving around 1,200 people dead and over 250 others taken as hostages.

The controversial Nativity scene, which has now been removed from the Paul VI audience hall, consisted of an intimate scene comprising the figures of the infant Jesus resting in a manger in front of his parents Mary and Joseph, carved from a single olive tree.

The Star of Bethlehem that hung above the scene was made from mother of pearl and encircled by an inscription in both Latin and Arabic reading: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill to all people.”

Sheep in the scene are handmade with felted wool by children from Ma’n Lilhayt, a Catholic charity providing employment opportunities for disabled individuals.

A Vatican spokesman did not respond to a Crux request for comment on the presence of the Nativity scene in the Paul VI Hall, and whether it represented a political statement on the part of the Holy See.

Amid the event, Pope Francis appeared with a noticeable bruise on his chin and a swollen neck, sparking concern over his health.

This follows a series of health issues, including a fall that caused the bruise, as confirmed by the Vatican.

(Agencies; Picture Courtesy: AFpost/X)