VOA常速英语2007年-Pilgrims Join Palestinians to Celebrate Christm

By Robert Berger
Bethlehem
24 December 2007

Thousands of pilgrims joined local Palestinians in celebrating Christmas Eve in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. As Robert Berger reports for VOA from Bethlehem, the observances were more cheerful than in previous years.

Palestinian boy and girl scouts¹ paraded through Manger Square in Bethlehem, kicking off Christmas celebrations. Playing drums and bagpipes², they marched past the Church of the Nativity, which is believed to be the birthplace of Jesus. Security was tight. Dozens of Palestinian police patrolled the streets, some armed with assault rifles.

Then the Latin Patriarch arrived.

Dressed in purple robes, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in the Holy Land is leading a solemn procession into the church of the Nativity. He is followed by priests dressed in white who are chanting the Christmas liturgy³. A big crowd is looking on including local Palestinians and pilgrims from around the world.

After staying away for many years because of Israeli-Palestinian violence, pilgrims returned this year.

"It's a more joyful⁴ Christmas. We have more tourists, we have more pilgrims coming to the city of Bethlehem, twice as much as last year," said Bethleham Mayor Victor Batarseh to VOA. "All the hotels are booked. I think this Christmas brings more joy to all the citizens of Bethlehem."

The mayor attributes the change to a lull⁵ in violence and the revival⁶ of the peace process.

Anne Nicholson, from the American state of Alabama, said the Prince of Peace is what Bethlehem is all about.

"My heart is just bursting with joy to be here. Honored, privileged, humbled⁷. I've heard just about every language you can hear spoken today," said Nicholson. "And the common denominator is the love of Christ that has brought people from all over the world to this place, to be in a spot that we know that Christ was born here."

Palestinians complain that Israel's separation barrier ringing Bethlehem has turned the city into a big prison. But on this Christmas, at least, they welcomed in the outside world to celebrate.

1 scouts   

侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员

参考例句：

• to join the Scouts 参加童子军
• The scouts paired off and began to patrol the area. 巡逻人员两个一组，然后开始巡逻这个地区。

2 bagpipes   

n.风笛；风笛( bagpipe的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Yes, and I'm also learning to play the bagpipes. 是的，我也想学习吹风笛。 来自超越目标英语 第3册
• Mr. Vinegar took the bagpipes and the piper led the cow away. 于是醋溜先生拿过了风笛，风笛手牵走了奶牛。 来自互联网

3 liturgy   

n.礼拜仪式

参考例句：

• A clergyman read the liturgy from the prayer-book.一名牧师照着祈祷书念祷文。
• The mass is the church a kind of liturgy.弥撒是教会的一种礼拜仪式。

4 joyful   

adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的

参考例句：

• She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴。
• They were singing and dancing to celebrate this joyful occasion.他们唱着、跳着庆祝这令人欢乐的时刻。

5 lull   

v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇

参考例句：

• The drug put Simpson in a lull for thirty minutes.药物使辛普森安静了30分钟。
• Ground fighting flared up again after a two-week lull.经过两个星期的平静之后，地面战又突然爆发了。

6 revival   

n.复兴，复苏，（精力、活力等的）重振

参考例句：

• The period saw a great revival in the wine trade.这一时期葡萄酒业出现了很大的复苏。
• He claimed the housing market was showing signs of a revival.他指出房地产市场正出现复苏的迹象。

7 humbled   

adj. 卑下的，谦逊的，粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下，贬低

参考例句：

• The examination results humbled him. 考试成绩挫了他的傲气。
• I am sure millions of viewers were humbled by this story. 我相信数百万观众看了这个故事后都会感到自己的渺小。