Winter swimmers take part in a traditional Christmas swimming event at the Orankesee lake in Berlin, Germany. Photo: AP via PA
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By Associated Press Reporters
Christians around the world have been marking Christmas Day although it was a muted day in Bethlehem, where the conflict in Gaza has overshadowed festivities.
Worshippers gathered at churches for midnight mass and other services while some chose to take a festive dip to mark the holiday.
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However, the Middle East conflict ensured a sombre rather than festive mood at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, believed by Christians to be the birthplace of Jesus.
Children greet each other at The Church of North India on Christmas day in Ahmedabad, India (Ajit Solanki/AP)
Devotees arrive to offer Christmas prayers at the Saint Mary’s Garrison church in Jammu, India (Channi Anand/AP)
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Camel rides at at Uhuru Park in Kenya on Christmas Day (Sayyid Azim/AP)
Kenyans enjoy the merry-go-round at Uhuru Park (Sayyid Azim/AP)
Worshippers at the Grotto, under the Church of the Nativity, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem (Mahmoud Illean/AP)
Catholic clergy pray next to a statue of Baby Jesus at the Grotto (Mahmoud Illean/AP)
Christmas mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral Church in Lahore, Pakistan (K.M. Chaudary/AP)
People wait for mass at the Xishiku Catholic Church in Beijing (Ng Han Guan/AP)
Father Evaggelos performs the Christmas Divine Liturgy in the Greek Orthodox Church of Panagia (Virgin Mary) Kapnikarea in Athens, Greece (Michael Varaklas/AP)
In Ukraine the ongoing conflict with Russia also cast a shadow although many Christians in both countries celebrate Christmas in January.
Maria Zelenchuk prays in the kitchen of her house before Christmas dinner in Kryvorivnia village, Ukraine, on Christmas Eve (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP)
A couple in the Orankesee lake in Berlin, Germany on Christmas Day (Markus Schreiber/AP)
Jack Griffiths and Hattie Bettridge at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia (Rick Rycroft/AP)
Visitors and locals flock to Bondi Beach (Rick Rycroft/AP)
Christmas Day service at the Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, South Korea (Ahn Young-joon/AP)
Nuns hold candles during the Christmas Eve mass at Graha Maria Annai Velangkanni Church in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia (Binsar Bakkara/AP)
