Pope Francis Inaugurates New nativity Scene
The recent Vatican Nativity scene, featuring the baby Jesus swaddled in a kaffiyeh, has reignited a firestorm of controversy and criticism.
At the heart of the uproar is a clash between historical accuracy, modern politics, and the symbolic choices made by Pope Francis, who unveiled the crèche alongside Ramzi Khouri of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). Critics argue that the display feeds into a politically charged narrative that misrepresents Jesus Christ and his historical identity.
Pope Francis inaugurates the new nativity scene called ”Betlehem 2024” in the Vatican today.
Does the pope think Jesus wasn’t a Jew either? Did he even read the Bible? pic.twitter.com/2MIoXaZO1Q
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) December 7, 2024
For centuries, Jesus has been recognized as a Jewish figure born in Bethlehem under Roman rule. Attempts to recast him as a “Palestinian” are rooted not in history but in modern political agendas.
Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY), a staunch ally of Israel, criticized the Vatican’s decision as falling prey to propaganda that perpetuates falsehoods. His reaction highlights growing concerns that such symbolic gestures undermine historical truth and fuel divisive narratives.
A year ago, during Christmas, there were Anti-Israel activists who vandalized my office with a baby doll drenched in red paint, claiming that Jesus was a “Palestinian refugee in the West Bank” and that Zionists like myself are the moral equivalent of “Christ killers.” A modern… pic.twitter.com/RmAgJPCNYE
— Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) December 8, 2024
The PLO-backed nativity scene drew applause from pro-Palestinian groups, who hailed it as a statement of solidarity with “oppressed communities.” However, Catholic and Biblical scholars, alongside prominent figures like Torres, reject the portrayal as historically inaccurate and dangerously misleading.
Boston University scholar Paula Fredriksen has also cautioned against such narratives, noting that casting Jesus as a Palestinian is both inflammatory and historically baseless.
This is not Pope Francis’s first controversial choice for the Vatican’s Nativity scene. In 2020, another unconventional display, described by critics as resembling a scene from Star Wars, drew widespread derision. However, this year’s depiction has taken the criticism to a new level, given the fraught political implications of aligning Jesus with modern geopolitical conflicts.