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"The Church of the Nativity"

Bethlehem

Monday, ‎December ‎23, ‎2013

Third Day of my Holy Land Trip, Mount Zion, Jerusalem

My Holy Land Trip

"The Church of the Nativity"
Bethlehem

The Church of the Nativity from Manger Square:

The Church of the Nativity is a basilica located in Bethlehem, Palestinian territories. The church was originally commissioned in 327 AD by Constantine and his mother Helena over the site that is still traditionally considered to be located over the cave that marks the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth. The Church of the Nativity site's original basilica was completed in 339 AD and destroyed by fire during the Samaritan Revolts in the sixth century AD. A new basilica was built 565 AD by Justinian, the Byzantine Emperor, restoring the architectural tone of the original. The site of the Church of the Nativity has had numerous additions since this second construction, including its prominent bell towers. Due to its cultural and geographical history, the site holds a prominent religious significance to those of both the Christian and Muslim faiths.

The site of the Church of the Nativity is a World Heritage Site, and was the first to be listed under Palestine by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The site is also on UNESCO's List of World Heritage Sites in Danger.

A 55 foot Gigantic Christmas tree in Manger Square:

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David while they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she [Mary] gave birth to her firstborn, a son. (Luke 2:4-7)

The Church of the Nativity is one of the earliest Christian structures in the Holy Land. The first basilica was built over the Nativity Grotto in the 4th century AD by Emperor Constantine. However, this construction was burned down and partially destroyed during the Samaritan Revolt of 529 AD. The church was rebuilt by Emperor Justinian (527-65 AD), and this much larger structure, constructed after the form of a cross, still stands today.

With time, the building was expanded and multiple monasteries and chapels were added. Nowadays, the complex is under the custody of three Christian denominations: Greek Orthodox, Catholic and Armenian.

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." (Matthew 2:13)

Bethlehem Peace Center, Manger Square:

The holy site, known as the Grotto, that the Church of the Nativity sits atop, is today associated with the cave in which the birth of Jesus Christ occurred. In 135 AD, Hadrian is said to have had the Christian site above the Grotto converted into a worship place for Adonis, the Greek god of beauty and desire. A father with the Church of the Nativity, Jerome, noted before his death in 420 AD that the holy cave was at one point consecrated by the heathen to the worship of Adonis, and that a pleasant sacred grove was planted there in order to wipe out the memory of Jesus.

The Door of Humility: 

Entrance to Nativity Church

Although some modern scholars dispute this argument and insist that the cult of Adonis-Tammuz originated the shrine and that it was the Christians who took it over, substituting the worship of God, the antiquity of the association of the site with the birth of Jesus is attested by the Christian apologist Justin Martyr (c. 100-165 AD), who noted in his Dialogue with Trypho that the Holy Family had taken refuge in a cave outside of town: Joseph 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, (Manger: trough, is a feeder that is made of carved stone, wood, or metal construction and is used to hold food for animals (as in a stable). Mangers are mostly used in livestock rising. They are also used to feed wild animals, in nature reserves. The word comes from the French manger (meaning "to eat"), from Latin manducare (meaning "to chew") A manger is also a Christian symbol, associated with nativity scenes where Mary, forced by necessity to stay in a stable instead of an inn, placed the baby Jesus in a manger. (Luke 2:7) and here the Magi who came from Arabia found Him.

Inside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Palestine:

In Bethlehem the cave is pointed out where He was born, and the manger in the cave where He was wrapped in swaddling clothes. And the rumor is in those places, and among foreigners of the Faith, that indeed Jesus was born in this cave who is worshiped and reverenced by the Christians. (Contra Celsum, book I, chapter LI).

Inside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Palestine:

The first basilica on this site was begun by Saint Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine I. Under the supervision of Bishop Makarios of Jerusalem, the construction started in 327 AD and was completed in 333. Construction of this early church was carried out as part of a larger project following the First Council of Nicaea during Constantine's supremacy to build on the supposed sites of the life of Jesus. The design of the basilica centered around three major architectural sections: (1) an octagonal rotunda over the area believed to be where Jesus Christ was born; (2) a boxed atrium area of 148 by 92 feet (45 m × 28 m); and (3) double-aisled forecourt of 95 by 93 feet (29 m × 28 m). The structure was burnt down and destroyed in a revolt between the Jews and the Samaritans in 529 or 556 AD.

Inside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Palestine:

The current basilica was rebuilt in its present form in 565 AD by Emperor Justinian I. When the Persians under Chosroes II invaded in 614, they did not destroy the structure. According to legend, their commander Shahrbaraz was moved by the depiction inside the church of the Three Magi wearing Persian clothing, and commanded that the building be spared. The Crusaders made further repairs and additions to the building during the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, with permission and help given by the Byzantine Emperor, and the first King of Jerusalem was crowned in the church. Over the years, the compound has been expanded, and today it covers approximately 12,000 square meters. The church was one of the direct causes for French involvement in the Crimean War against Russia.

Constantine's 4th century mosaic floor rediscovered in 1934, inside the Church of the Nativity: 

Until 1131 AD, the Church of the Nativity was used as the primary coronation church for crusader kings. During this time, extensive decoration by the crusaders and various restorations of the basilica and grounds took place. This decoration and restoration process took place until 1169 AD.

Constantine's 4th century mosaic floor rediscovered in 1934, inside the Church of the Nativity: 

The basilica and grounds as they were depicted to appear in a work published in 1487 AD. The roof of the Church of the Nativity lay in poor condition after the destruction that occurred in April 1244 by the Turks. In August 1448 AD, the Kingdom of Burgundy committed resources to the project, but it was not until 1480 that they were able to get the project underway in Bethlehem. Due to this worsening condition of the wooden Church roof, in 1480 an extensive roof reconstruction and renovation project took place on the Church of the Nativity. Multiple regions contributed supplies to have the Church roof repaired, with England supplying the lead, the Second Kingdom of Burgundy supplying the wood, and the Republic of Venice providing the labor

Detail of the ancient, Constantine's 4th century mosaic floor 

inside the Church of the Nativity: 

The interior of the Church of the Nativity as it was depicted to appear in 1833 AD. Between 1834 and 1837, earthquakes and aftershocks in Bethlehem inflicted significant damage to the Church of the Nativity. The initial earthquake, the 1834 Palestinian Earthquake, damaged the church's bell tower, the furnishings of the cave on which the church is built, and other parts of its structure. Minor damages were further inflicted with a series of strong aftershocks in 1836 and with the Galilee earthquake of 1837 shortly thereafter.

Icon of Mary and Jesus inside the Church of the Nativity:

By 1846, the Church of the Nativity and its surrounding site lay in poor condition. The Church's state had left the site vulnerable to looting. Much of the marble floors of the interior of the Church were looted in the early half of the 19th century, and many were transferred to use in other buildings around the region, including to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. In that same year, the religiously significant silver star was stolen that had been displayed above the Grotto of the Nativity in 1851; the Church of the Nativity was under the control of the Ottoman Empire. But near Christmas of 1852, Napoleon III sent his ambassador to the Ottoman Empire and forced the Ottomans to recognize France as the "sovereign authority" in the Holy Land, which the Latins had lost in the eighteenth century. 

Icon of Mary and Jesus inside the Church of the Nativity:

The Sultan of Turkey replaced the silver star over the Grotto with a Latin inscription, but the Russian Empire disputed the change in "authority," citing two treaties-one from 1757 and the other from 1774 (the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca)-and deployed armies to the Danube area. As a result, the Ottomans issued firman’s essentially reversing their earlier decision, renouncing the French treaty, and restoring the Greeks to the sovereign authority over the Churches of the Holy Land for the time being. Since individual churches did not have a say in firman’s, tensions arose at the local level. These, along with the theft of the Silver Star, helped to further fuel the debate between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire over the occupation of holy sites around the region. This theft is often cited by scholars as one of the catalysts of the Crimean War.

Icon of Mary and Jesus inside the Church of the Nativity:

The interior of the Church of the Nativity as photographed by the Matson Photo Service in the 1930s. In April 2002, during the second Intifada, some 50 armed Palestinians wanted by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) locked themselves in the church, along with some 200 monks and other Palestinians who arrived at the site for different reasons, and were held as hostages by the gunmen. Because of the sensitivity of the building the IDF did not break into the building, but prevented the entry of food. The siege lasted 39 days and some of the gunmen were shot by IDF snipers. After lengthy negotiations it was agreed that the gunmen would be evacuated to Gaza, Spain and Italy.

Altar, Inside the Church of the Nativity:

Today, the church is administered jointly by Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic authorities. All three traditions maintain monastic communities on the site. As a result, however, there have been repeated brawls among monk trainees over quiet respect for others' prayers, hymns and even the division of floor space for cleaning duties. The Palestinian police have been called to restore peace and order. Site architecture and layout.

Entrance to the Grotto, above the door is an ancient silver plated Greek icon of the Virgin and Child Jesus:

In front of the grotto where Jesus Christ is believed to have been born  inside the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem:

The main Basilica of the Nativity is maintained by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. It is designed like a typical Roman basilica, with five aisles (formed by Corinthian columns) and an apse in the eastern end, where the sanctuary is. The church features golden mosaics covering the side walls, which are now largely decayed. The basilica is entered through a very low door, called the "Door of Humility." The original Roman style floor has since been covered over, but there is a trap door in the modern floor which opens up to reveal a portion of the original mosaic floor. The church also features a large gilded iconostasis, and a complex array of lamps throughout the entire building. The wooden rafters were donated by King Edward IV of England. The same king also donated lead to cover the roof; however, this lead was later taken by the Ottoman Turks, who melted it down for ammunition to use in war against Venice. Stairways on either side of the Sanctuary lead down by winding stairs to the Grotto.

In front of the grotto where Jesus Christ is believed to have been born  inside the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem:

The adjoining Church of St. Catherine, the Roman Catholic Church, was built in a more modern Gothic revival style, and has since been further modernized according to the liturgical trends which followed Vatican II. This is the church where the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem celebrates Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. Certain customs still observed in this Midnight Mass predate Vatican II, but must be maintained because the "status quo" (the customs, rights and duties of the various church authorities that have custody of the Holy Places) was legally fixed by a firman in 1852, under the Ottoman Empire, that is still in force to this day.

In front of the grotto where Jesus Christ is believed to have been born  inside the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem:

The Bas-relief of the Tree of Jesse is a large work by well-known religious sculptor Czesław Dźwigaj which was recently incorporated into the Church of St. Catherine as a gift of Pope Benedict XVI during his trip to the Holy Land in 2009. Measuring in at 3.75 by 4 metres (12.3 by 13.1 ft), its corpus represents an olive tree figuring as the Tree of Jesse displaying Christ's lineage from Abraham through St. Joseph along with other biblical motifs. Situated along the passage used by pilgrims making their way to the Grotto of the Nativity, the bas relief also incorporates symbolism from the Old Testament. The upper portion is dominated by a crowned figure of Christ the King in an open armed pose blessing the Earth.

The Altar and icon of the Nativity.  The birth place of Jesus is on the ground in the shadows underneath this altar:

This fourteen-point silver star, beneath the altar in the Grotto of the Nativity, marks the traditional spot believed to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ by the Blessed Virgin Mary:

The Grotto of the Nativity, an underground cave located beneath the basilica, enshrines the site where Jesus is said to have been born. The exact spot is marked beneath an altar by a 14-pointed Silver Star set into the marble floor and surrounded by silver lamps. This altar is denominationally neutral, although it features primarily Armenian Apostolic influences. Another altar in the Grotto, which is maintained by the Roman Catholics, marks the site where traditionally Mary laid the newborn Baby in the manger.

This fourteen-point silver star, beneath the altar in the Grotto of the Nativity, marks the traditional spot believed to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ by the Blessed Virgin Mary:

Numerous Chapels are found in the compound as well, including the Chapel of Saint Joseph, commemorating the angel's appearance to Joseph, commanding him to flee to Egypt (Matthew 2:13); the Chapel of the Innocents, commemorating the children killed by Herod (Matthew 2:16–18); and the Chapel of Saint Jerome, where traditionally he translated the Bible into Latin.

Manger Square, a large paved courtyard in front of the Church, is the site where crowds gather on Christmas Eve to sing Christmas carols in anticipation of the midnight services.

This fourteen-point silver star, beneath the altar in the Grotto of the Nativity, marks the traditional spot believed to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ by the Blessed Virgin Mary:

The basilica was placed on the 2008 Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites by the World Monuments Fund: The present state of the church is worrying. Many roof timbers are rotting, and have not been replaced since the 19th century. The rainwater that seeps into the building not only accelerates the rotting of the wood and damages the structural integrity of the building, but also damages the 12th-century wall mosaics and paintings. The influx of water also means that there is an ever-present chance of an electrical fire. If another earthquake were to occur on the scale of the one of 1834, the result would most likely be catastrophic. ... It is hoped that the listing will encourage its preservation, including getting the three custodians of the church – the Greek Orthodox Church, the Armenian Orthodox Church, and the Franciscan order – to work together, which has not happened for hundreds of years. The Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority would also have to work together to protect it.

The Manger.  The little crib is where Jesus is said to have been laid after birth, and where the shepherds and Magi visited the newborn Savior:

The Nativity of Jesus, also The Nativity, refers to the accounts of the birth of Jesus, primarily based on the two accounts in the gospels of Luke and Matthew, and secondarily on some apocryphal texts.

The canonical gospels of Luke and Matthew both describe Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, to a virgin mother. In the Gospel of Luke account, Joseph and Mary travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census, and Jesus is born there and laid in a manger. Angels proclaim him a savior for all people, and shepherds come to adore him. In the Matthew account, astronomers follow a star to Bethlehem to bring gifts to Jesus, born the King of the Jews. King Herod orders the massacre of all the boys less than two years old in Bethlehem, but the family flees to Egypt and later settles in Nazareth. Many scholars view the two narratives as non-historical and contradictory. Other traditional Christian scholars maintain that the two accounts do not contradict each other, pointing to the similarities between them. Some scholars view the discussion of historicity as secondary, given that gospels were primarily written as theological documents rather than chronological timelines.

The Manger.  The little crib on the right side of the photo is where Jesus is said to have been laid after birth, and where the shepherds and Magi visited the newborn Savior:

The main religious celebration among members of the Catholic Church and other Christian groups is the Church service on Christmas Eve or on the morning of Christmas Day. During the forty days leading up to Christmas, the Eastern Orthodox Church practices the Nativity Fast, while the majority of Christian congregations (including the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, many Mainline churches, and Baptists) begin observing the liturgical season of Advent four Sundays before Christmas—both are seen as times of spiritual cleansing, recollection and renewal to prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

 In front of the birthplace of Jesus:

In Christian theology, the Nativity of Jesus concerns the Incarnation of Jesus as the second Adam, in fulfillment of the divine will of God, undoing the damage caused by the fall of the first man, Adam. The Artistic depiction of Nativity has been a major subject for Christian artists since the 4th century. Since the 13th century, the Nativity scene has emphasized the humility of Jesus and promoted a tenderer image of him, as a major turning point from the early "Lord and Master" image, affecting the basic approaches of Christian pastoral ministry.

Exit from the Grotto:

The Nativity is a prominent element of the Gospel of Luke, and comprises over 10% of the text. It is three times the length of the Nativity text in the Gospel of Matthew and in itself longer than several of the books of the New Testament. Luke does not rush into the birth of Jesus, but prepares for the event by narrating several episodes prior to the birth of Jesus. Luke is the only Gospel to provide an account of the birth of John the Baptist, and uses it to draw parallels between the births of John and Jesus.

A beautiful chandeliers in the Main altar in the Nativity Church:

Luke draws parallels between the angelic visit (1:5–25) to Zechariah about the birth of John and the Annunciation to Mary (1:26–38) about the birth of Jesus, and between the Song of Zechariah (1:57–80) about John and the Song of Simeon (2:1–40) about Jesus. However, while Luke devotes only two verses (1:57–58) to the birth of John, the birth of Jesus is narrated in twenty verses (2:1–20). Luke relates the two births in the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth and states that Mary and Elizabeth are cousins. There is no mention of a family relationship between John and Jesus in the other Gospels, and the scholar Raymond E. Brown has described it as "of dubious historicity". Géza Vermes calls it "artificial and undoubtedly Luke's creation".

The Main altar in the Nativity Church:

In the Gospel of Luke, Mary learns from the angel Gabriel that she will conceive and bear a child called Jesus. When she asks how this can be, since she is a virgin, he tells her that the Holy Spirit would "come upon her" and that "nothing will be impossible with God". She responds: "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word".^[29] Later Mary visits her relative Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist. John leaps in his mother's womb, recognizing the presence of Jesus, the Messiah.

When Mary is due to give birth, she and Joseph travel from Nazareth to Joseph's ancestral home in Bethlehem to register in the "first enrollment" in the census of Quirinius, as in Luke 2:2. Mary gives birth to Jesus and, having found no place for them in the inn, places the newborn in a manger.

An angel of the Lord visits the shepherds and brings them "good news of great joy": "to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord." The angel tells them they will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger. The angel is joined by a "heavenly host" who say "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors. The shepherds hurry to the stable in Bethlehem where they find Jesus with Mary and Joseph. They repeat what they have been told by the angel, and then, they return to their flocks. Mary and Joseph take Jesus to Jerusalem to be circumcised, before returning to their home in Nazareth.