President Peres with Archbishop Chacour. Photo: Mark Neyman/GPO

With Chanukah over, Christians in Israel are getting into the Christmas spirit. The Jerusalem Municipality has announced that on Sunday, December 23rd it will distribute free Christmas trees to Christian residents of Jerusalem.

On Thursday Israeli President Shimon Peres visited the official residence of Archbishop Elias Chacour where he sang traditional Christmas songs with children from a local youth choir.

In a statement Peres said,”We are proud of the Christian community in Israel and are also proud that they feel fully at home, completely free to worship in their own way and to continue with their own traditions. I wish them and all Christians everywhere a Merry Christmas.”