"But we decided that we would go and stay there for two nights and for that reason I think we were treated very badly at the wall. They made us get out of the coach and walk though the security gates, which ended up being very good for our group because it actually gave them a taste of what Palestinians have to do every morning and every evening.

"It is a practically annoying, but also humiliating experience where people are being denied access to their own country."

Rev Tim Woods, who accompanied Bishop Michael on the pilgrimage, was left troubled by his time in Bethlehem.

"We were very worried about the people we met in Bethlehem and there was a sense of sadness and oppression about the place," he recollects. "The Christmas carol does not do justice to the present day. It's not 'how still we see thee lie'. It's actually 'how troubled we see thee'."

He continues, "I think all of us have real concerns about what the Israeli state is doing, and a real concern that actually it is operating against a lot of the tenets of the Jewish faith."

The picture of Bethlehem today is clearly very different to the peaceful and serene scenes of Jesus' birthplace that will adorn millions of Christmas cards around the world this year.

Much of the town's troubles are rooted in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamic militants. The November peace talks in Annapolis in the US have offered a glimmer of hope that a peaceful settlement may be reached, but the ill-sentiment on both sides is sure to make peace difficult to achieve, if not impossible.

"What was clear was that the tendency of both the Orthodox Jews and the more hardline Muslims was to look to resolve the conflict by further conflict. They are going head to head," says Rev Woods.

In the midst of all the conflict and division, however, the tiny Christian community in the Holy Land, known affectionately as Living Stones, is choosing to swim against the tide by working towards a peaceful solution built on the Christian tenets of forgiveness and reconciliation.

"The Christian churches are saying loudly and clearly, we have to work for peace, we have to find ways of forgiving each other and work towards reconciliation to overcome conflict," adds Rev Woods.

"That's our gospel imperative."