The Roman Catholic Missionary Service News Agency (MISNA) earlier quoted a priest in Bethlehem as saying Father Jacques Amateis, who belongs to the Salesian order, had died in a gun battle in the biblical city.

However, a Salesian official told Reuters Amateis later phoned the Vatican embassy in the Holy Land to say he was safe.

''There was fighting, but there were no victims among the Salesians. We can confirm that Amateis is alive,'' said the official, who declined to be named.