 |
| Sanctuary at the Church of the Nativity |
Today
was a great day of reflection at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. After 7:15 Morning Prayer and breakfast, the
bus departed for Bethlehem, a short ride, since Bethlehem is only 6 miles from
Jerusalem. When we arrived at the site of the Nativity, we were overjoyed at
this opportunity to see the place where Jesus was born.
As
usual, the site exceeded our expectations. There is something about the holy
sites in general that leave you in a state of awe. The grandeur of the construction of this
church was spectacular. It is like entering into a different world. In fact,
the main entrance to the church is very small, compared to other great
churches. Even the shortest people need to stoop down to enter through the
opening. This is because the sill of the
door was lowered down each time over the years, as the church changed hands
between the Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, and Ottomans.
Once
inside, we saw the huge pillars that support the main basilica. Each pillar is buried deep below the floor and
interconnected in order to provide added support in the event of an earthquake.
Sections of the floors and walls are blanketed with colorful mosaics, but some
sections were dark, having been damaged over the years.
The
sanctuary is extraordinary and depicts the great tradition of the Greek
Orthodox Church. The walls are covered
with golden and silver icons representing Jesus, Mary, the Saints, and Prophets.
Down
the sanctuary is the Grotto of the Nativity, the very spot where Jesus entered
the world. In reality, this is a really
small place. Beneath the altar is a fourteen-pointed silver start representing
fourteen generations, from David to Joseph. After we spent a couple of minutes in prayer,
we gathered in a corner of the Grotto and sang the “Salve Regina” in honor of
Mary.
Another
interesting spot on our visit was St. Jerome’s chapel. A short distance from the cave of the
Nativity, it was here that Saint Jerome spent many years translating the
Bible. Although, very small compared to
the Church of the Nativity, we chose to gather here as pilgrims to celebrate
the Eucharist. After Mass we had the opportunity to reflect on the great event
of the Nativity, and the meaning of it for us.
Next,
we visited the Milk Grotto Church, which is believed to be the place where the
Holy Family took refuge during the slaughter of the innocents. It is believed
that the white stones from the Milk Grotto help to enhance fertility. Tradition holds that this is where Mary
dropped a drop of milk while nursing Jesus. In fact, there are about 3000 cases registered
in the miraculous list of events attributed to this place. Certainly, it is all
about faith, said the Franciscan father who welcomed us to this site.
Today
was great day in which we learned, reflected, and nourished our spiritual
life. It was one more day to know more
about the history of Christianity, one more day to meditate in the great
mystery of salvation and one more day to receive Jesus in the Eucharist.