O Little Town of Bethlehem

We're very excited to visit the birthplace of Jesus today in the town of Bethlehem.  It's not so little any more with a population of about 25,000 people, mostly Muslim, with a significant Christian population.

Since the Osolo accords, Bethlehem has been administered by the Palestinians.  After the 1948 war it was controlled by Jordan and taken over by Israel from 1967 to 1995.

Door of Humility

The traditional route from Jerusalem to the Church, known as the Pilgrimage route, marks the road that connects the traditional entrance of Bethlehem, near King David’s wells with the Church of the Nativity, and extends along the Star Street through the Damascus Gate, or Qos Al-Zarara, the historical gate of the town, towards the Manger Square. This is the path followed by Joseph and Mary during their trip in Bethlehem.

Exterior

The Basilica of the Nativity is the oldest church in the world.  The current church dates from 565 AD when the Emperor Justinian rebuilt a church originally constructed by St. Helena in 327 AD.  The church has been expanded over the years especially during the crusades and its survived rebellions, invasions, earthquakes and a 39 day siege during the Second Intifada.

Floor Mosaic Being Restored

Interior

Recently discovered angel mosaic

Sanctuary of the Church

The Church of the Nativity is managed under the terms and provisions of the ‘Status Quo of the Holy Places’, and is managed by the three churches occupying the place; the Greek Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church and the Armenian Patriarchate. The Greek Orthodox church is in charge of the main basilica which is entered by the low Door of Humility.   One would think this door is low so you bow before entering such a holy place, but it was actually lowered in the 1500s to prevent horses and carts from coming in.  The roof of the church and the ancient mosaics were restored from 2013 to 2018.

Click to see a video of the church

Walking from the door towards the nave, you can look through wooden trapdoors at the original 4th-century mosaic floor, rediscovered in 1934. The mammoth red-and-white limestone columns that  grace the nave are the main surviving remnants of the original structure. Some of them are decorated with frescoes of saints, painted by Crusaders in the 12th century. To the right of the Door of Humility, a doorway leads to the Armenian Monastery.  The Armenians flourished during the 1600s, when they were noted for their transcribed and illuminated versions of the Bible.

A the front of the nave, on each side of the chance, you descend the stairs to enter the Grotto of the Nativity, a series of caves where Jesus was born.

But when the Child was born in Bethlehem, since Joseph could not find a lodging in that village, he took up his quarters in a certain cave near the village; and while they were there Mary brought forth the Christ and placed Him in a manger, and here the Magi who came from Arabia found Him.  (St, Justin, 1st century).

Pope Francis prays before the Altar of the Nativity

In the eastern part of the cave there is the altar of the nativity  and underneath this altar is a 14-pointed silver star marks the spot where Jesus is said to have been born (The original star was stolen in 1847).  Fifteen lamps surround the star, believe it or not, 6 belong to the Greek Orthodox, 5 to the Armenians and 4 for the Roman Catholics.

Pope Benedict XVI prays at the Manger

The Grotto of the Manger, managed by the Roman Catholics, to one side of the grotto represents the location where Jesus laid in the manger.  Nearby the Altar of the Adoration of the Magi commemorates the visit of Caspar, Balthazar and Melchior. The Persians spared the church and grotto when they sacked Palestine in 614 CE because they saw a depiction of the magi in their own native costume.

A doorway leads into the Church of St. Catherine next door which was built upon the ruins of a Crusader church in 1882 and serves as the parish church of Bethlehem.

St. Catherine

Interior of St. Catherine's

Altar in the Cave of St. Jerome

The cave system extends under this church as well and it contains the cave of St. Jerome, St. Joseph's chapel and the Chapel of the Holy Innocents.  We will visit St. Jerome's chapel and Mass will be celebrated here.  Beginning in 386 AD he spent 30 years in this cave translating the bible from Hebrew and Greek into Latin.  His translation was used for centuries. 
  

Church of the Angels

After lunch we get to do some shopping for some of the local handicrafts. which support the Christian communities here.  Then we travel to Shepherd's Field in Beit Sahur, a suburb of Bethlehem,  where according to the gospel of St. Luke, the angel of the Lord announced the birth of Christ to the shepherds.   There are several churches here, a red domed Greek orthodox church and the Catholic Church of the Angels.  The Catholic church was built in 1953 and is shaped like a nomadic tent.

Altar

The angel above the door points to the Church of the Nativity

The architect who designed this church, Antonio Barluzzi, also designed the Church of the Transfiguration on Mt. Tabor, the Church of the Beatitudes, the Church of All Nations which we will see in Jerusalem and Dominus Flevit on the Mount of Olives. 

Dome

Gloria!

The church has beautiful art work and wonderful acoustics.


Tonight, we will break up into small groups to have dinner in the home of one of the local Christian families here. 

“Sharing the Bread” is a program designed to help local families earn much needed revenue and to introduce American Christians to an authentic local lifestyle. During their pilgrimage to the Holy Land, groups from the U.S. are invited to join a local Bethlehem family for a Sunday afternoon home cooked meal in their homes. The program builds bridges by providing a glimpse into the local culture and way of life. By enjoying the local hospitality, savoring a meal and chatting with the families American Christians learn about the daily lives of their Christian brothers and sisters in the Holy Land.