Christmas celebrated with fear and fervour

Christians around the world celebrated Christmas today with the Pope leading prayers for peace and a more tranquil future, pilgrims flocking to Bethlehem and Iraqis staying away from church amid fears of bomb attacks.

In other corners of the world, some families gathered at home and other revellers took their parties to the streets – and in Australia, to the beach.

In his Christmas message, delivered in chilly, rainy Vatican City, the Pope shared his fears about the violence in Iraq, Sudan and other hot spots, and expressed hope that peace-building efforts would bring a brighter future.

Thousands, many cheering and waving flags, gathered in St Peter’s Square to hear his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” – Latin for “to the city and to the world” -message and holiday wishes, issued in dozens of languages.

“Babe of Bethlehem, Prophet of peace, encourage attempts to promote dialogue and reconciliation. Sustain the efforts to build peace, which hesitantly, yet not without hope, are being made to bring about a more tranquil present and future for so many of our brothers and sisters of the world,” John Paul said.

In Bethlehem, a new thaw in Israeli-Palestinian relations drew several thousand more pilgrims to the traditional birthplace of Jesus, but numbers were well below those of the 1990s.

Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah, the senior Roman Catholic official in the Holy Land, called on Israelis and Palestinians to put violence behind them.

Interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas attended the service – in a change from previous years, when Israel prevented the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat from going to Christmas celebrations out of fears that he would advocate violence.

Christians in other areas of the world were cautious as they attended religious services.

In Iraq, only a few Christians showed up to celebrate Mass in Baghdad’s churches because of fears Islamic militants could launch attacks.

In Indonesia, Christians celebrated Christmas amid warnings that terrorists linked to al Qaida planned attacks in the world’s most populous Muslim nation.

The Christian minorities in Muslim-majority Pakistan and predominantly Buddhist Sri Lanka, where churches have come under attack, also celebrated with police on alert. Authorities also guarded churches in Muslim-dominated Bangladesh. No trouble was reported.

In the United States, President George Bush issued a Christmas message for his country’s troops just days after an attack on a US military hall in the Iraqi city of Mosul killed 14 US service members as well as eight others.

“In Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere, these skilled and courageous Americans are fighting the enemies of freedom and protecting our country from danger,” Bush said. He called 10 members of the US military around the world and in the United States on Friday to thank them for their service and to share holiday greetings.

The Queen also spoke to British troops, who tuned into a special prerecorded message from the monarch, broadcast on the British Forces Broadcasting Service.

“The varied tasks you take on in all parts of the world may be changing, but what remains the same is the spirit, good humour, courage and commitment you show everyday, often in the most arduous conditions,” she said.

Spanish King Juan Carlos used his televised Christmas address to pay tribute to the victims of the March 11 train bombings. The king said relatives of the 191 people who died in Spain’s worst terrorist attack had his and his family’s “deepest affection and understanding”.

Many European cities were deserted today as families gathered at home for traditional Christmas meals.

The mood was relaxed in Australia, where backpackers headed to Sydney’s Bondi Beach, celebrating in bikinis and Santa suits.

In Taiwan, a Frenchman who calls himself “Spiderman” marked the day with a daredevil skyscraper climb. Alain Robert, 42, made it to the top of the 101-storey Taipei 101, the world’s tallest building.