Nine kilometres south of Jerusalem lies the town of Bethlehem, known throughout the world as the birthplace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The soil is red, nourishing the olive groves whose slender silhouettes stand out against the blue sky. Flocks of sheep and goats are everywhere, herded by a Bedouin clad in a long tunic and a turban wrapped round his head. Bethlehem seems frozen in its own world, as it has been for thousands of years. Were it not for the tarmac and the cars reminding us that we are in the 21st century, we might say that nothing has ever happened on these biblical lands. For thousands of years, tourists and pilgrims from all over the world have sought out these places where, in a humble, poor cave, the Messiah was to be born. In those days, the Magi from the East were the first pilgrims to follow the light of a shining star, known as the Star of Bethlehem, to witness with their own eyes the fulfilment of the astrological prophecies concerning the birth of a new king of Israel. They followed the light of the star that appeared in the Middle East at the time of the Annunciation, and it guided the travellers for nine months. The ancient astronomical name of this celestial body was wass al-Judayy (the Lamb, in ancient Arabic). The Holy Fathers of the Church say that the three kings ruled over three small regions at that time: Persia, Arabia and Egypt. They arrived in Bethlehem immediately after the birth of Christ. The eldest was Melchior, who presented Christ with gold as a gift. Gaspar offered the Lord frankincense as a gift. The third, Balthazar, brought myrrh as a gift. The significance of the three gifts has been explained by Church tradition as follows: gold symbolises wisdom; frankincense, which is burnt before God, symbolises the power of prayer; and myrrh symbolises the renunciation of the passions of the flesh. Upon entering Jerusalem, the Magi asked: ‘Where is the One who has been born, the King of the Jews? We have seen His star in the east.’
The Old Testament prophets—Daniel 9:25–27; Micah 5:1–2; Isaiah 9:5–6 foretold the birth of Jesus Christ in the city of Bethlehem, whilst in the New Testament, the evangelists Luke and Matthew describe the days of this great cosmic event that was to change the world, fulfilling the prophecies: ‘Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the King of the Jews who has been born? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.’ And when King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And he gathered together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and sought to learn from them: ‘Where is the Christ to be born?’ And they said: ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means the least amongst the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel’ (Matthew 2:1–6). And the Magi, having seen the Child born in the arms of the Virgin Mary and having worshipped Him, set off, bypassing the city of Jerusalem, for King Herod was waiting for them to tell him where the new King of Israel had been born. The three Magi, realising Herod’s cunning, set off by another route, back to their own country.
The story of the Nativity of Jesus Christ during the reign of King Herod is recorded both in the Holy Scriptures and in the memories carved in stone – caves and churches, which the traveller, pausing in these places, discovers and, in mind and spirit, is transported back to the dawn of the first century of the Christian era.
The earliest references to the city of Bethlehem (Beit Lahma/Beit Lehem, ‘House of Bread’, Arabic/ ) are found in the Old Testament, in the Book of Genesis, which tells us of Rachel, the wife of Jacob, son of Isaac, who in 1738 BC was travelling with his family towards Hebron, coming from Mesopotamia. On the way, Rachel died after giving birth to Ben-Oni, that is, Benjamin, the son of her sorrow (Genesis XXXV, 19). And Jacob erected a pillar on which it was inscribed that ‘this is Rachel’s tomb from that day’. Rachel’s tomb is situated in the immediate vicinity of the entrance gate to the City of Bethlehem, a place of pilgrimage and remembrance, visited only once a year by Hasidic Jewish communities. The Book of Genesis also mentions the region of Bethlehem or Ephrathah (a ‘fruitful land’ in Hebrew) as a fertile land, with olive groves, vineyards and endless flocks of sheep. There are also references to this region as the birthplace of King David, from the stem of Jesse, for we also find this name, Beit Yassa (House of Jesse, in Hebrew).
In a large square paved with white stone from Bethlehem or Hebron, or perhaps both, known as Manger Square (in English), stands the immense Basilica of the Nativity. It was built in the year 325 by Empress Helena and her son, Emperor Constantine, with the blessing of the then Bishop of Jerusalem, Macarius. It is the first church built on the soil of the Holy Land by these two Holy Emperors. It has been preserved in its entirety, despite all the pagan invasions that have succeeded one another over the centuries in these parts. The church is built like a fortress, with thick, high walls, designed to serve as a bastion of defence for the monks in times of invasion. Because attackers would charge on horseback or camels into the church, destroying everything in their path, the main entrance was walled up at the top, making it very low, so that those entering the church must bend over considerably. Another explanation for this low and narrow doorway is that, in this place where Jesus Christ was born, everyone must enter with humility.
The birth of Jesus is thought to have taken place in the year 6 or 7 AD, coinciding with the period of the Roman census. There are historical accounts of the population census carried out by the Roman governor who ruled the provinces of Syria and Palestine at that time, every fourteen years, and one such census took place around 7–6 BC. ‘In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole world. This census took place whilst Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the town of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.” (Luke 2:1–20). This census was to take place throughout the Roman Empire, including Egypt, Syria and Palestine. For this reason, they travelled from Nazareth to Bethlehem with great difficulty, as it was winter. The journey took nearly three days across the mountains. It rarely snows in the Middle East in winter. However, the cold is bitter, the winds are strong, and at times there are heavy, cold showers. The holy travellers from Galilee still had three miles to go to reach Bethlehem when they stopped at a well to rest, for the Virgin Mary was showing signs that the time of the Nativity had come. The little town of Bethlehem had become overflowing with people by the time folk began arriving from all corners of the land for the census. The houses and their courtyards were packed with people. With great difficulty, Joseph found a shepherds’ cave and laid the Virgin Mary there. Then, leaving his sons with her, he set off to find a midwife in the region of Bethlehem. This was happening around sunset. ‘But whilst they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her only-begotten Son and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, for there was no room for them in the inn’ (Luke 2:6–7).
That cave, dating back 2,000 years, has been preserved beneath the church. On the spot where Jesus Christ was born stands today the Holy Altar, where the Divine Liturgy is celebrated daily. Beneath the stone on which the Holy Eucharist is celebrated lies a silver star with 14 rays, commissioned by the Holy Martyr Constantin Brâncoveanu, Prince of Wallachia. The significance of the 14 rays is found in the words of Saint Matthew the Evangelist: ‘There are fourteen generations from Abraham to David; and fourteen from David to the Exile in Babylon; and from the exile to Babylon to Christ there are fourteen generations’ (Matthew 1:17). Inscribed on the star are the words: Hic de Virgine Maria Jesus Christus Natus Est (Latin) – Here was Jesus born of the Virgin Mary. Above it, a multitude of silver candles burn daily, unceasingly, adorning the ancient cave with their mystical light. On the opposite side stands the Manger Altar, the place where Jesus was laid after His Birth. It was here that the shepherds arrived, having previously been sitting in the fields, gathered round the fire whilst tending their flocks. And the angel of the Lord said to them: ‘Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all the people; for unto you is born this day a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this will be the sign: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger’ (Luke 2:10–12).
At the spot where Jesus had been laid after His birth, the righteous Joseph fell asleep, weary from the journey and the cold, having been relieved of the excitement of the event; and then: ‘the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying: “Get up, take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him!’ (Matthew 2:13). And Joseph, with great faith and fear of God, arose, ‘took the Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt’ (Matthew 2:14). Thus, following the instruction of the Holy Archangel Gabriel, the Virgin Mary with the Child, accompanied by the righteous Joseph, travelled along the Via Maris – the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, from Palestine to Deir al-Muharraq in Upper Egypt.
The Church of the Nativity was adorned with precious mosaics, of which only a few have survived. In the year 529, it was destroyed by the Samaritans but was quickly rebuilt in 535 by Emperor Justinian (527–565). During the Persian invasion of 614, the great basilica miraculously escaped destruction. The invaders recognised in the mosaics on the walls the depiction of the three Magi from the East, who were themselves Persians. This moved them and led them to refrain from setting fire to the church, as they had done in other similar instances. An extensive restoration of these mosaics took place between 2017 and 2020.
Over the centuries, the Church of the Nativity has also received other sacred artefacts. Among these are three large silver chandeliers, crafted in filigree in Vienna and donated to this church by the Romanian prince Șerban Cantacuzino. Also preserved is the iconostasis, carved from pear wood in Bucharest and likewise donated in the 17th century by this ruler of Wallachia. Another Romanian prince, Matei Basarab, donated 7,000 groschen (gold coins) during his reign towards the restoration of the church’s roof, as centuries of rain had damaged the walls of the holy place.
The Grotto of the 14,000 Infants Slaughtered by Herod
The Great Basilica of the Nativity houses several chapels and altars within its walls, whilst the basement contains caves and ossuaries. To the right of the main entrance, in the basement, lies the crypt containing the Holy Relics of the 14,000 Infants Slaughtered by Herod: ‘And when Herod realised that he had been deceived by the Magi, he was furious; and he sent out orders to kill all the infants in Bethlehem and throughout its surrounding districts, aged two years and under, according to the time he had learnt from the Magi. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning; Rachel weeps for her children and refuses to be comforted, for they are no more’ (Matthew 2:16–18). And: ‘When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him’ [Matthew 2:3].
The Icon of the Mother of God of Bethlehem
One of the most precious treasures of the Church of the Nativity is this icon. It is situated to the right of the stone steps leading down to the Grotto of the Nativity. The exact origin of this icon is unknown. It may well have been painted by St Luke the Apostle and Evangelist himself. The icon depicts the Mother of God with a holy, joyful countenance, a gentle smile that embraces the whole world, whilst the Infant Jesus is shown blessing with his right hand. The icon is set in gold and silver, adorned with countless pearls and rubies. It is said that Empress Catherine of Russia herself, whilst visiting the Holy Land, offered her own jewellery to adorn the icon.
The Column of Jesus Christ
On the left-hand side of the church’s altar, before descending into the cave, stands a stone column that was once entirely painted, but today only the upper part remains, depicting the face of the Saviour Jesus Christ gazing out upon the world with an air of deep reflection and attention to the human condition. In the winter of 1995, tears of myrrh flowed from His eyes.
The Cave of St Jerome
To the left, beneath the Roman Catholic Church of St Catherine the Martyr, lies the cave where St Jerome of Bethlehem (340–420) lived and translated the Holy Scriptures known as the Vulgate. St Eusebius of Cremona, St Paula and her daughter also lived there with him; they were buried in the adjoining crypts.
The Grotto of the Milk
A few hundred metres from the Church of the Nativity, on a street lined with shops selling antiques and souvenirs, stands the Roman Catholic church known as the Grotto of the Milk. Here, in the church’s basement, lies the cave where the Virgin Mary is said to have rested with the Infant after the Nativity. A drop of her breast milk is said to have splashed onto the cave wall, turning everything white. It is said that the fine white powder collected from these walls and added to drinking water has helped many families to conceive children.
Beit Jala (House of the Meadow, in Aramaic)
Two kilometres from Bethlehem lies this town in the Judean Desert. Between 1848 and 1900, two Orthodox churches were built here, one dedicated to Saint Nicholas, above the cave where this great Saint of the Church is said to have taken refuge during his stay in the Holy Land, and the second dedicated to the Mother of God.
Beit Sahour (House of the Shepherds, in Arabic)
This is the name of the Arab Christian village near the town of Bethlehem. On the outskirts of the village stands the church – a dependency of the Monastery of ‘Saint Sava’ in the Judean Desert. Its crypt houses the spot where the shepherds spent the night, gathered round the fire, keeping watch over their flocks. ‘And in that region there were shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, the angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were filled with great fear (…). And suddenly there appeared, together with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill amongst men!’ And after the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another: ‘Let us go, then, to Bethlehem, to see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the Child lying in the manger. And when they had seen Him, they made known the message that had been spoken to them concerning this Child. And all who heard it marvelled at what the shepherds told them. And Mary treasured all these words, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as they had been told” (Luke 2:8–20).
The shepherds were the first inhabitants of Judea to follow the Star of Bethlehem and to see it hovering above the cave where Jesus Christ was to be born. In the 5th century, a Christian basilica was built on this site. The Persian invasion of 614 destroyed it. It was rebuilt and remains a testament to the existence of those shepherds, the first to proclaim and bear witness to the Birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The original mosaic is preserved in the old Byzantine church, as are the tombs of three of the shepherds. A large church was added to the monastery courtyard in the early years of the 21st century. It is painted in the Neo-Byzantine style and serves as the parish church for the Orthodox Christians of Beit Sahour.
Al Khader
Five kilometres from Bethlehem lies this small town, whose life revolves around fields of olive groves, fig trees and vineyards. According to ancient tradition, these places were believed to have special healing powers for both physical and mental ailments, thanks to the fresh air and the healing vegetation. The small town still preserves the ruins of Solomon’s Baths, where the King of Israel would often come from Jerusalem. For local Christians, this is the site of the Orthodox church dedicated to St George the Martyr, dating from the 16th century. Local tradition tells us that this was the site of St George’s mother’s house. From her house, he is said to have been taken by Roman soldiers, taken to a garrison, imprisoned, chained and killed. His body was taken by Christians and buried in Lod (Lida), a town 40 km from Jerusalem and 15 km from Tel Aviv, where his church and tomb are located. The Church of St George in Al-Khader preserves a fragment of the chains with which the Saint was tortured, as well as a very old, miracle-working icon depicting St George the Martyr George and St. M. Mc. Demetrius. On Sundays and feast days, the Divine Liturgy is celebrated here.
Visiting the City of Bethlehem with all its ecclesiastical sites, the traveller discovers this biblical settlement built on mountain slopes, with steep, narrow streets that vividly recall vividly, of the days when Jesus was born in these parts of the world, bringing His peace and His Light. Lands steeped in history and mystery, over which the sun of the Judean Desert casts a white, intense light, as if springing from the very rock of the mountains, and returning to the heavens from whence it descended, in a perpetual symbiosis between the sacred and the profane, between the celestial and the earthly.