Where Jesus Christ was born (39 photos)

Much is said about the birth of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew and Luke.
But not everyone has seen these places and certainly has never been.
Let's take a tour of one of the oldest churches in the world.




The Basilica of the Nativity is one of the oldest churches in the world. The building was built over the cave in which, according to legend, Jesus of Nazareth was born, and therefore this place is considered sacred for Christians.

The structure is actually a combination of two churches, with the birthplace of Jesus located down in the Cave of the Nativity.

The birth of Jesus is told in the Gospel of Matthew and Luke. Matthew says that Mary and Joseph were from Bethlehem and then moved to Nazareth because of Herod's order to kill all the babies. And Luke indicates that Mary and Joseph were from Nazareth, and Jesus was born in Bethlehem while they were in the city on a special occasion. Theologians view the two stories as contradictory, but Matthew is considered a more reliable source. In both versions, however, Jesus was born in Bethlehem and grew up in Nazareth.

The Star of Bethlehem and the Altar

Roman Catholics have a unique Altar of Reverence in the "manger of Jesus." Catholics also install a silver star under the Altar of the Nativity of Christ. Both Catholics and Armenians have the right to own the nave.

1. Nativity Square; 2. The gate of humility; 3. Nave; 4. The High Altar and the Greek Orthodox Basilica (iconostasis); 5. Stairs to the cave; 6. Caves of the Nativity of Christ; 7. Franciscan monastery; 8. Franciscan court; 9. Cave of St. Jerome; 10. Church of St. Catherine; 11. Greek Orthodox Monastery; 12. Greek Orthodox Court; 13. Armenian courtyard; 14. Armenian Monastery.



Aerial view of the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

The Basilica of the Nativity is the oldest still functioning church in the Holy Land, where, according to legend, Jesus Christ was born. Its construction began in 326 A.D. The current church was built during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian. In 529, the basilica was badly damaged during the Samaritan revolt. The Patriarch of Jerusalem sent Saint Sava to help Justinian, and an architect sent by the emperor demolished the church and built one that stands to this day.



Plaque

Today, the church is under the control of three Christian denominations – the Armenian Church, the Roman Catholic Church and the Greek Orthodox Church.



Black and white photo of an old church.

The powerful outer walls of the church, similar to the walls of a fortress, speak of its long and difficult history. For centuries, the temple was one of those places for which there were constant wars. It was conquered and defended by a wide variety of armies, including Muslims and Crusaders. The façade of the Basilica of the Nativity of Christ is surrounded by the high walls of three monasteries: the Franciscan on the northeast side, the Greek Orthodox and the Armenian Orthodox on the southeast.



The entrance to the famous basilica is quite nondescript



Aerial view of the basilica grounds



Three-dimensional model of the basilica

The main building of the basilica was erected by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. It is designed in the form of a typical Roman basilica, with five rows (formed by Corinthian columns) and an apse in the eastern part, where the sanctuary is located. The basilica has a rectangular shape, its length is 53.9 meters, the nave is 26.2 meters wide, and the transept is 35.82 m. Entering the church, you can see four rows of columns - 44 in total - 6 meters high, made of red stone.



Cross on the roof of the basilica



View of the Manger Square

Manger Square – the large paved courtyard in front of the basilica – is a gathering place for residents on Christmas Eve, where they sing hymns in the run-up to the midnight service.



The basilica can be accessed through a very low door, which is called the "door of humility". It is a very small rectangular entrance, created during the reign of the Ottoman Empire, so that marauders would not bring carts into the church, and also so that even the most venerable and important visitors would dismount to get inside. The doorway was noticeably smaller compared to the size of the previous door, the pointed arch of which can still be seen at the top.



View Through the Door of Humility



The guard room is the first room in the basilica



Columns of the Basilica



Thirty of the 44 columns feature Crusader drawings depicting saints, the Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus, although due to the time and lighting conditions, they are quite difficult to see.



Priest between the columns of the basilica. The columns are made of pink polished limestone, most of them dating back to the 4th century, from the time of the Constantine Basilica.



Nave and ceiling

The wide nave has been left since the time of Justinian, and the roof dates back to the 15th century, and in the 19th century it was restored. Now this roof is rotten, which threatens the inviolability of the entire building. Some of the beams have been preserved from the 15th century, and due to holes in the wood, dirty water flows directly onto the priceless frescoes and mosaics. This problem has only worsened over the years, but the clergy of the Greek and Armenian Orthodox churches, as well as the Franciscan order of the Roman Catholic Church, have clashed with each other for many decades and have not been able to come to a common plan of action.



The Armenian Church owns the north transept and the altar located there. They also sometimes use the altar of the Greek Orthodox Church and caves. On the north side of the altar there is an Armenian altar and the Three Magi, and in the northern apse there is also an Armenian altar of the Virgin Mary.



Iconostases

The iconostases are a wall with icons and religious paintings, separating the nave from the sanctuary of the church. An iconostasis is also called a shelf for icons that can be placed anywhere. The iconostasis originated from the Byzantine tyabl by the 15th century. The main building of the basilica, including the naves, rows, katholikon (choir and sanctuary), south transept and the Altar of the Nativity of Christ are under the possession of the Greek Orthodox Church.



Entrance to the caves under the church, which are its main attraction. The cave can be entered by the stairs at the altar. It was here, according to legend, that Jesus Christ was born.



The northern staircase to the caves.



Manger

According to Luke 2:7: Mary "laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the monastery." The manger is located in the northern part of the caves, and opposite them is the altar of the Magi, who came to Bethlehem with gifts from the East, after seeing the guiding star.



The cave is not mentioned in the Gospel, but less than a century later, Justin Martyr and the Protoevangelium of James reported that Jesus was born in the cave. This makes sense, as many of the houses in the area are still being built in front of the caves. The caves were used for storing things and as stables for horses - hence the manger. At the end of the cave you can see a door leading to the chapels, the key to which is kept by the Franciscans.



The wall of the cave. All other furnishings date from the period after the fire of 1869, with the exception of the bronze gate in the north and the southern entrance to the caves, which date from the 6th century.



The cave is lit by 51 lamps, 19 of which belong to Catholics.



The southern staircase to the cave.



The cave has a rectangular shape: its length is 12.3 meters, and the width is 3.15 meters.



Altar over the Star of Bethlehem.





Lower part of the altar

The silver star on the floor symbolizes the place where, according to legend, Jesus was born. The floor is lined with marble, and 15 lamps hang above the star (six of them belong to the Greek Church, five to the Armenian and four to the Roman).



The silver star has 14 rays.



The inscription on the star in Latin reads: "Here Jesus Christ was born by the Virgin Mary – 1717."



Franciscan courtyard leading to the Church of St. Catherine.



In the Church of St. Catherine

The church was built on the place where Jesus Christ appeared to Catherine of Alexandria and predicted her torment (c.310 AD). Matchmaker Catherine is buried on Mount Sinai. The first mention of the church dates back to the 15th century. Most likely, it was built on the site of a monastery from the time of the Crusades of the 12th century. In addition, in the fifth century, the monastery of St. James was located on the same site. and combined the chapel with the 12th-century Crusade monastery that used to stand on the site. Traces of the 5th-century monastery, which is associated with St. Jerome, are also present here.



The priest looks out over the patio leading to St. Catherine's Church.



Altar in St. Catherine's Church



Entrance to the Franciscan monastery and the church of St. Catherine.



Courtyard leading to St. Catherine's Church.



Stained glass windows in the Church of St. Catherine.



Source: tinepoverish.livejournal.com