Pilgrims gathered in Bethlehem after a hard year of bloodshed of Christians that has drawn international awareness, Yahoo! reported.

"For many of you, the music of your Christmas hymns will also be accompanied by tears and sighs," Pope Francis wrote in a long letter addressed to Christians in the Middle East.

Christmas will be celebrated in the Palestinian territories but kept at a minimum.

The large West Bank town of Bethlehem was filled with activities right before the day is finished with midnight mass at the Church of Nativity. The famous church was built right over the spot where Christians believe The Virgin Mary gave birth to baby Jesus.

Despite celebrations, over 2,000 Gazans died in the war conflict in just one month from July to August while the Gaza strip was left in ruins.

In a phone message to refugees displaced to Iraq's Kurdish region, Pope Francis delivered a Christmas message:

"Dear brothers, I am close to you, very close to you in my heart. The children and the elderly are in my heart," The Pope told the Iraqi refugees in the Ankawa camp.

Dozens of Christians leave Iraq each day, according to Chaldean Patriarch Louis Sako in Baghdad.

Iraq's displaced Christians "still live in a tragic situation and there are no quick solutions for them," Sako said, adding that particularly this Christmas, they needed reassurances that they "are not left alone and not forgotten."

Sako reported that about 150,000 Christians have been displaced by an Islamic group so far.

Christians enjoyed their first Christmas in three years in Syria this year.

"Our joy is indescribable," said Taghrid Naanaa who went shopping for Christmas decorations in a district recaptured from rebel fighters earlier this year.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani asked for the Pope to "spread peace, security and well-being in the world."

All public Christmas celebrations have been canceled in Sierra Leone as a result of this year's Ebola crisis.

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