In the ruins of a bombed-out church in Lebanon, there's now a tiny Christmas tree

DARDGHAYA, Lebanon (AP) — A Christmas tree stands among the fallen stones of what remains of St. George Melkite Catholic Church in southern Lebanon. Once a vibrant community center, the 18th-century church is in ruins after an Israeli airstrike in October.

Georges Elia, a 40-year-old municipal worker and churchgoer, took it upon himself to bring some normalcy as the holiday season approached, weeks after a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militants.

“This year, Christmas is arriving with sadness for us, but we didn’t want it to be a sad one for the town’s residents and its church,” Elia said. “We tried to put up a tree, even if it is a modest and simple one.”

It's a small tree, shorter than him. He bent to place the shining garland and the final star. Crystal chandeliers hang, still intact, above the shattered pews. Paper images of Santa Claus lay on the debris.

The Christmas tree lacks lights, since the war destroyed power lines. It also lacks the traditional Nativity scene, since it might fall apart on the uneven ground.

“But, of course, Christ is born in our hearts, lit with our love for him,” Elia said.

The church was struck as Israel bombarded southern Lebanon and sent in ground forces, turning what had been a low-intensity conflict of near-daily exchanges of fire into all-out war. Hezbollah said it attacked in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, while Israel said it wanted a safe border area so citizens could return home.

Elia, his family and the rest of the community fled their homes after receiving evacuation orders on Sept. 23, joining hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Lebanon.

The church serves around 30 families. The airstrike marked the third time it had been damaged by Israeli forces over the years.

“In the Israeli invasion in 1978, we lost the western wall to the church. The residential rooms were hit by Israeli airstrikes in 1992,” said the priest, Father Maurice el Khoury.

When Elia returned weeks later, he found the damage worse than he had imagined. “The photos didn’t show how bad it really is,” he said.

The priest, who has served the church for 11 years, recalled the moment he saw its destruction.

“My blood pressure went up. I lost my balance and had to lean on the wall,” he said. “For me to see it this way, I couldn’t comprehend it.”

The financial toll of the damage is staggering, too. El Khoury estimates restoration costs at nearly $3 million.

The church’s destruction is part of the war’s devastation in Lebanon. The World Bank has said almost 100,000 homes across the country have been partially or completely destroyed during the 14-month war, with damage amounting to an estimated $3.2 billion.

With the main church building in rubble, el Khoury now conducts Sunday Mass in a small underground room that once housed visiting bishops and priests, reading by the light of a mobile phone. The room, though damaged, was repaired to serve as a temporary place of worship.

During one Mass, the priest reminded families of the true essence of the holiday season.

“This room is more like the cave where Jesus was born,” he said. “We are the people embodying the birth of Christ in our reality.”

The priest said the community’s faith has not wavered: “For this upcoming Christmas, we will have Mass here.”

A mosque is seen from St. George Melkite Catholic Church, that was destroyed by Israeli airstrike, in the town of Dardghaya in southern Lebanon, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

A christian man rings the bells next to a Christmas tree that has been decorated inside St. George Melkite Catholic Church in the town of Dardghaya in southern Lebanon, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Priest Maurice el Khoury, center, leads the Sunday Mass inside a room that is usually used as a residence for visiting bishops next to his St. George Melkite Catholic church, that was destroyed by Israeli airstrike, in the town of Dardghaya in southern Lebanon, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Icons are seen inside St. George Melkite Catholic Church, that was destroyed by Israeli airstrike, in the town of Dardghaya in southern Lebanon, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

A christian man rings the bells next to a Christmas tree that has been decorated inside St. George Melkite Catholic Church in the town of Dardghaya in southern Lebanon, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Georges Elia decorates a Christmas tree inside St. George Melkite Catholic Church, that was destroyed by Israeli airstrike, in the town of Dardghaya in southern Lebanon, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Georges Elia decorates a Christmas tree inside St. George Melkite Catholic Church, that was destroyed by Israeli airstrike, in the town of Dardghaya in southern Lebanon, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Georges Elia decorates a Christmas tree inside St. George Melkite Catholic Church, that was destroyed by Israeli airstrike, in the town of Dardghaya in southern Lebanon, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Icons are seen inside St. George Melkite Catholic Church, that was destroyed by Israeli airstrike, in the town of Dardghaya in southern Lebanon, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s parliament on Friday elected Min Aung Hlaing, a general who ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government in 2021 and kept an iron grip on power for the past five years, as the country’s new president.

The move marks a nominal return to an elected government but is widely considered to be an effort to keep the army in power after an election organized by the military that opponents and independent observers deemed neither free nor fair.

Min Aung Hlaing was one of three nominees for the president’s post, but was virtually guaranteed the job as lawmakers from military-backed parties and appointed members from the army hold a commanding majority in parliament.

Aung Lin Dwe, speaker of parliament’s combined upper and lower house, announced that Min Aung Hlaing won 429 out of the 584 votes. The two runners-up became vice presidents.

Min Aung Hlaing, who holds the rank of senior general, had earlier relinquished his post of the commander-in-chief because the constitution prohibits the president from simultaneously holding the top military position. A close aide, Gen. Ye Win Oo, took over the powerful job.

The 69-year-old Min Aung Hlaing had been the military chief since 2011. Under a military-imposed constitution, he held major power even before overthrowing Suu Kyi’s government.

Parliament members were elected in three phases in December and January. Major opposition parties, including Suu Kyi’s former ruling National League for Democracy, were either blocked from running or refused to compete under conditions they deemed unfair. Suu Kyi has been held in prison.

Parliament chairman Aung Lin Dwe, center, arrives for a session of Union Parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)

FILE - Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, head of Myanmar's military council, inspects officers during a parade to commemorate Myanmar's 78th Armed Forces Day in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, March 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo, File)

Myanmar's military representatives and lawmakers arrive to attend a session at Union parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Friday, April 3, 2026.(AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)

Myanmar's military representatives arrive for a session at Union parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)

Myanmar's military representatives arrive for a session at Union parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)

Parliament chairman Aung Lin Dwe arrives for a session of Union Parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)

Parliament chairman Aung Lin Dwe, center, arrives for a session of Union Parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)