Church of the Nativity

Meaning

You bow your head to pass through the low Door of Humility, and in the candle-scented grotto below, lamps sway quietly above the silver star.

Tradition holds that the grotto beneath this church is the place where Jesus was born; a church first rose here in the age of Constantine in the fourth century, making it one of the oldest churches still standing. In 2012 it became Palestine's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the fourteen-pointed silver star on the grotto floor is held to mark the place of the Nativity.

Field notes

Location

Bethlehem · West Bank · N31.7° · E35.2°

Best time

Early morning, when the line to the grotto is short and the lamps burn deepest.

Getting there

Thirty minutes by car from Jerusalem; enter through the Door of Humility from Manger Square.

Etiquette

Dress that covers shoulders and knees is appreciated; keep your voice low in the grotto.

Sources

• · UNESCO World Heritage
• · Encyclopaedia Britannica

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