Shutter-Bug Candi: Bethlehem

O little town of Bethlehem......

Okay, so Bethlehem isn't exactly little anymore, at least not by its original standards; compared to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv it is still quite small (it boasts a population of approximately 25,000). Bethlehem is actually a Palestinian city, located in the West Bank.

First stop was at the Milk Grotto Church (yes, I know this is a kind of strange name). Tradition says that the Holy Family (Mary, Joseph, and Jesus) took refuge here during the slaughter of children ordered by Herod, before their flight to Egypt. While in this church Mary was nursing Jesus, and tradition says a drop of milk fell to the ground turning it white. Many believe that powder from the milk white rock has magical powers, such as enhancing fertility especially in infertile couples as well as boosting the quantities of milk in nursing mothers. It is also 'home' to 12 nuns who have devoted themselves to a life of prayer. They pray 24 hours a day, every day of the year (obviously in shifts). Visitors are welcome to leave prayer requests, and the nuns will pray for them.

Statue of Mary nursing Jesus

Mary, Joseph, Jesus inside the caves of the church

One of the nuns praying

Next stop.....Shepherd's Field. These are the fields (minus the buildings) where the shepherds would have been living and tending to their flocks. This is also the location mentioned in Luke 2, when the angel came and told the shepherds of the birth of Jesus.

The next couple of pictures are of the type of shelter the shepherds would have used as they were tending to their flocks.

On the outskirts of the Shepherds Fields there is an excavation in the works of an old Byzantine church/monastery.

some of the excavations--the covered area is an old olive press

Shepherd's Field Church--The inside is very simple....a couple of murals depicting the message the shepherds received and them going to find Jesus.

On a side note.....the Shepherd's Field church has a really neat dome ceiling

The last stop of the day was at the Church of the Nativity. The Church of the Nativity is actually home to three different churches....an Armenian Church, a Greek Orthodox Church, and a Catholic Church. The church was originally commissioned by Constantine and his mother Helena to be over the site (a cave) that is traditionally considered to be the birthplace of Jesus.

Church of the Nativity--doesn't look like anything special does it, kind of ironic when you think about it

The Door of Humility is a small entrance into the church. It was created in Ottoman times to prevent carts being driven in by looters, and to force all visitors to dismount from their horses before entering the holy place.

Door of Humility

Okay, you might be saying.....'whoa, wait a minute, Jesus born in a cave?' Traditionally when we read about the birth of Jesus most of us probably imagine a main building with a stable/barn type building out back where the animals were tethered up. While the gospel accounts don't specifically mention a cave, historians believe it was a cave based on the way that homes/buildings were structured during that time. Many of the buildings were built in front of a cave, and the 'cave' part would have been used for the stabling of animals or the storage of food, tolls, etc.

Anyway, beneath the Church of the Nativity, there is rectangular cavern that is honored as the site of Christ's birth (since at least the 2nd century). There is a small area that is where the manger most likely would have been, and there is a silver star on the floor that marks the spot where Christ is believed to have been born. On a side note, above the silver star there are 15 lamps hanging (six belong to the Greeks, 5 to the Armenians, and 4 to the Latins).

Let me say it was a very emotional moment for me to reach down on the ground and touch the star. Whether it is the 'actual' birthplace or not, what it represents is astounding--the birth of Jesus, who changed the course of the entire world history.

the outer cave

the manger area

The star has 14 points on it, and has become known as the Star of Bethlehem. These represent the 14 generations of Jesus Christ. There are 14 years from Abraham to David, 14 years from David to the Babylonian captivity, and another 14 years from the Babylonian captivity to Jesus Christ. The 14 points are also believed to represent the 14 stations of the cross.

I can say that this was a very emotional day to be seeing these places and to be walking along the same places where so much history happened......and to really have such a grasp the reality of it all when it is right in front of you.

I am going to post a few more pictures of the sites of the day...........

Armenian Church--it is mostly under restoration and you are unable to see anything, but they do have the original floors of the church uncovered so visitors can see the mosaic tile floors.