Church of the Nativity
The Church of the Nativity of Christ is located on the territory of the Palestinian Authority. Jesus was born in a cave, and the temple was built just above it. The church building has been preserved to this day in good condition, although it was built 1,500 years ago. People treated the Temple carefully. The building was experiencing fires, in 529 it burned down completely. After 2 years, thanks to Justinian, the temple was completely restored, the building was severely damaged during an earthquake in the 19th century.
Short description
The Church of the Nativity of Christ is considered the most sacred place on Earth. Christians come here to worship God. On Christmas Day, there is a secret divine service in Bethlehem. In Palestine, the government was changing, while church services did not stop. Different currents of Christianity run the temple. They even made separate entrances to the Church of the Nativity. Monastic communities, Armenian, Catholic, and Orthodox, are located in the outbuildings. The main shrines in the Church of the Nativity of Christ include the Miraculous Icon of the Mother of God and the Star of the Nativity and the Manger of Jesus.
Temple Features
The building of the Church of the Nativity of Christ is of historical value, it is included in the World Heritage List. Ancient architects painted the walls, laid out mosaics, and all this has been preserved to this day. The exterior of the temple is made of gray stone. The building area is 25 meters wide and 50 meters long. The interior of the Church of the Nativity is rich, you can see a lot of gold. The high columns, the lack of light due to the blocked windows, resemble a cave, there is a bathing pool at the entrance to the temple, babies are baptized here.
How to get
People are traveling to Bethlehem from Israel, and there is a direct 8-kilometer road leading here. The road to the Church of the Nativity of Christ is not long, but the states are different - Palestine and Israel, so you should definitely take your passport with you. Women in this area should cover their knees, shins, and heads. Men don't wear shorts here. It is important to know this, otherwise they may simply not be allowed into the temple, they do not make exceptions for anyone.
