Bethlehem - Church of the Nativity

This is the oldest church in the Holy Land since it was spared by the Muslims when they invaded in the 7th century. The Chapel is just above the cave where Jesus was born and placed in the manger. The tradition that the birth was in a cave is one of the oldest Christian traditions. Justin Martyr mentions it in the mid-2nd century, as does the Protoevangelium of James (also 2nd c.). Origen notes that the cave of Jesus' birth was pointed out in his day and no doubt this was the same place where the Byzantine church was erected. Bethlehem, The “House of Bread”, also known as Ephrath - means fruitful.

CHURCH OF NATIVITY - Built over the traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ. Manager Square, with its merchants of carved olive wood crèches and mother-of-pearl jewelry, stands in front of one of the most ancient churches of Christendom. It is in the charge of the Greek Orthodox. Centuries ago the spacious door was reduced to the small one of today so that one must bow low to enter the spot where God humbled himself to become man. It was done for a less spiritual reason: To prevent looting invaders from riding in on horseback. The interior of the church still contains elements from the fourth-century Church of St. Helena, such as the mosaic floor beneath the wooden doors of the present level. To the right of the Orthodox sanctuary a staircase descends to the cave of the Nativity. The Silver Star beneath the Greek altar proclaims in Latin the “Here the Word was made Flesh.” To the side are the Latin altars of the Manger and the Adoration by the Magi.

In the fourth century, the emperor Constantine ordered the construction of a magnificent basilica over the cave of Christ's birth. Its four rows of columns formed five aisles, at the eastern end of which was an octagonal structure above the site of the grotto. Destroyed in the sixth century, the church was rebuilt by the emperor Justinian. The structure of that church still stands, but only a few fragments of its magnificent mosaics and golden embellishments remain.

A stairway in the sanctuary descends to the Cave of the Nativity where a silver star, glistening with the reflection of scores of oil lamps, marks the spot honored as the birthplace of Jesus. The star is inscribed with the Latin words Hic De Virgine Maria Jesus Christus Natus Est (Here, of the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ was born). A few feet away is the altar honoring the Adoration of the Magi and the site of the manger where the infant Jesus lay. Surely the Son of God could have chosen whatever culture and economic strata he wanted to enter our world. We stand in wonder at the choice he made for himself, a choice that must have been for our benefit and our instruction. Since there was no place in the lodging for travelers, Mary and Joseph withdrew to a place where animals were kept, perhaps underneath or at the back of a house (Luke 2:7). The earliest tradition says the place of Jesus' birth was a cave, a natural place for keeping animals and their feed.