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."