CHRISTMAS PREPARATIONS IN JERUSALEM AND BETHLEHEM; SCENES IN WENCESLAS SQUARE, PRAGUE; SHOPPERS IN STREETS.




Initials DHC/V/AS/PC



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Background: THOUSANDS OF PILGRIMS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD FLOCKED TO THE HOLY LAND TODAY (MONDAY) TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS IN THE LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM. MORE THAN 20,000 VISITORS WERE EXPECTED TO HAVE ARRIVED BY TOMORROW NIGHT - CHRISTMAS EVE - WHEN THE TOWN WILL CELEBRATE CHRIST'S BIRTH THERE 1967 YEARS AGO. IN PRAGUE, CHRISTMAS WILL BE CELEBRATED WITH LITTLE INDICATION OF THE SOVIET MILITARY INTERVENTION THAT TOOK PLACE THERE FOUR MONTHS AGO.

JERUSALEM HAS BEEN LIT UP AND WIRED FOR SOUND AND TELEVISION IN PREPARATION FOR RELIGIOUS CELEBRATIONS INVOLVING CHRISTMAS, JEWS AND MOSLEMS. LIGHTS HAVE BEEN ERECTED AROUND MANGER SQUARE AND LOUDSPEAKERS AND TELEVISION WILL RELAY THE CHRISTIAN SERVICE FROM THE NEARBY CHURCH OF NATIVITY. THE JEWS WILL KINDLE THE EIGHTH LIGHT OF KANUKAH AND MOSLEMS WILL CELEBRATE ID EL FITR, THE END OF THE FEAST OF RHAMADAN.

SIMILAR DECORATIONS HAVE ALSO BEEN ASSEMBLED IN BETHLEHEM.

ACCORDING TO REPORTS THE STREETS OF PRAGUE ARE THRONGED WITH SHOPPERS AND RELATIVELY FREE OF SOVIET TROOPS. THE PEOPLE OF PRAGUE HAVE BEEN OBSERVING CHRISTMAS IN THE TRADITIONAL WAY, WITH LITTLE TO DISTINGUISH THIS YEAR'S CELEBRATIONS FROM ANY OTHER.