What was the name of the country in which Jesus was born? Where was Jesus Christ born? Cultural values of the city

12.12.2023

The Basilica of the Nativity is one of the oldest churches in the world. The building was built over a 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 actual birthplace of Jesus located below - in the Cave of the Nativity.

(Total 39 photos)

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 infants. And Luke indicates that Mary and Joseph were from Nazareth, and Jesus was born in Bethlehem while they were in town for a special occasion. Theologians view the two stories as contradictory, but Matthew is considered the more reliable source. However, in both versions, Jesus was born in Bethlehem and grew up in Nazareth.

1. Star of Bethlehem and altar.

Roman Catholics have a unique Altar of Awe in the “Jesus manger”. Catholics also place a silver star under the Altar of the Nativity. Both Catholics and Armenians have the right to own the nave.

2. The territory of the Basilica of the Nativity of Christ.

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

3. 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 AD. The current church was built during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian. In 529, the basilica was badly damaged during the Samaritan uprising. The Patriarch of Jerusalem sent Saint Sava to help Justinian, and the architect sent by the emperor demolished the church and built the one that still stands today.

4. Memorial plaque.

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

5. Black and white photo of an old church.

Powerful The 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 people constantly fought. It was conquered and defended by a variety of armies, including Muslims and Crusaders. The facade of the Basilica of the Nativity is surrounded by the high walls of three monasteries: Franciscan on the northeast side, Greek Orthodox and Armenian Orthodox on the southeast.

6. The entrance to the famous basilica is completely nondescript.

7. Aerial view of the territory of the basilica.

8. 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 meters. Entering the church, you can see four rows of columns - 44 in total - 6 meters high, made of red stone.

9. Cross on the roof of the basilica.

10. View of Yaselnaya Square

The Manger Square, a large paved courtyard in front of the basilica, is where residents gather on Christmas Eve to sing carols in anticipation of the midnight service.

11. You can enter the basilica through a very low door, which is called the “door of humility.” This is a very small rectangular entrance, created during the Ottoman Empire to prevent looters from bringing carts into the church, and to ensure that even the most respectable and important visitors would dismount to get inside. The door opening was noticeably reduced in size from the previous door, the pointed arch of which can still be seen at the top.

12. View through the Door of Humility.

13. Security room - the first room in the basilica.

14. Columns of the basilica.

15. On thirty of the 44 columns you can see Crusader paintings of saints, the Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus, although due to time and lighting conditions they are quite difficult to see.

16. Priest between the columns of the basilica. The columns are made of pink polished limestone, most of them have been standing since the 4th century, from the time of the Constantinian Basilica.

17. Nave and ceiling

The wide nave remains from the time of Justinian, and the roof dates back to the 15th century and was restored in the 19th century. Now this roof is rotten, which threatens the integrity of the entire building. Some of the beams have been preserved since the 15th century, and holes in the wood allow dirty water to flow directly onto the priceless frescoes and mosaics. This problem 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, clashed with each other for many decades and could not come to a common plan of action.

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

19. Iconostases

Iconostasis is a wall with icons and religious paintings that separates the nave from the sanctuary of the church. An iconostasis is also called a shelf for icons, which can be placed anywhere. The iconostasis evolved from the Byzantine tyabla to the 15th century. The main building of the basilica, including the naves, rows, katholikon (choir and sanctuary), south transept and Altar of the Nativity are under the ownership of the Greek Orthodox Church.

21. Northern staircase to the caves.

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 they saw the guiding star.

23. The Gospel does not mention the cave, but less than a century later, Justin Martyr and the Proto-Gospel of James reported that Jesus was born in a cave. This makes sense since many houses in the area are still 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.

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

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

26. Southern staircase to the cave.

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

28. The altar is called the Star of Bethlehem.

29. Altar over the Star of Bethlehem.

30. Lower part of the altar

The silver star on the floor symbolizes the place where, according to legend, Jesus was born. The floor is paved 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).

31. The silver star has 14 rays. Most likely, it was built on the site of a monastery dating back to the Crusades of the 12th century. In addition, in the same place in the fifth century there was a monastery of St. James.and united the chapel with the 12th-century Crusade-era monastery that previously stood on the site. Traces of a 5th century monastery, which is associated with St. Jerome, are also present here.

35. The priest looks at the courtyard leading to St. Catherine's Church.

38. Courtyard leading to St. Catherine's Church.

39. Stained glass windows in the Church of St. Catherine.

The life of Jesus Christ is still the subject of speculation and gossip. Atheists claim that its existence is a myth, but Christians are convinced of the opposite. In the 20th century, scientists intervened in the study of the biography of Christ and made strong arguments in favor of the New Testament.

Birth and childhood

Mary, the future mother of the holy child, was the daughter of Anna and Joachim. They gave their three-year-old daughter to the Jerusalem monastery as God's bride. In this way, the girls atone for the sins of their parents. But, although Mary swore an oath of eternal fidelity to the Lord, she had the right to live in the temple only until she was 14 years old, and after that she was obliged to get married. When the time came, Bishop Zachary (confessor) gave the girl as a wife to the eighty-year-old old man Joseph, so that she would not break her own vow with carnal pleasures.

Joseph was upset by this turn of events, but did not dare disobey the priest. The newly-minted family began to live in Nazareth. One night, the couple saw a dream in which the Archangel Gabriel appeared to them, warning that the Virgin Mary would soon become pregnant. The angel also warned the girl about the Holy Spirit, which would descend for conception. That same night, Joseph learned that the birth of a holy baby would save the human race from hellish torment.

When Mary was pregnant, Herod (king of Judea) ordered a census, so subjects had to report to their place of birth. Since Joseph was born in Bethlehem, the couple headed there. The young wife had a hard time with the journey, as she was already eight months pregnant. Due to the crowd of people in the city, they did not find shelter for themselves, so they were forced to go outside the city walls. Nearby there was only a barn built by shepherds.

At night, Mary is delivered of her son, whom she names Jesus. The birthplace of Christ is considered to be the city of Bethlehem, located near Jerusalem. The situation with the date of birth is not clear, since sources indicate conflicting figures. If we compare the reign of Herod and Caesar Augustus of Rome, then this happened in the 5-6th century.

The Bible states that the baby was born on the night when the brightest star lit up in the sky. Scientists believe that such a star was a comet that flew over the Earth in the period from 12 BC to 4 BC. Of course, 8 years is not a small discrepancy, but due to the passage of time and contradictory interpretations of the Gospel, even such an assumption is considered to be on target.

Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on January 7, and Catholic Christmas on December 26. But, according to religious apocrypha, both dates are incorrect, since the birth of Jesus occurred on March 25-27. At the same time, the pagan Day of the Sun was celebrated on December 26, so the Orthodox Church moved Christmas to January 7. The confessors wanted to wean parishioners from the “bad” holiday of the Sun by legitimizing a new date. This is not disputed by the modern church.

Eastern sages knew in advance that a spiritual teacher would soon descend to Earth. Therefore, having seen a Star in the sky, they followed the glow and came to a cave, where they discovered the holy baby. Entering inside, the wise men bowed to the newborn as if they were a king and presented gifts - myrrh, gold and incense.

Immediately, rumors about the newly-minted King reached Herod, who, angry, ordered the destruction of all the babies of Bethlehem. In the works of the ancient historian Josephus, information was found that two thousand children were killed on the bloody night, and this is by no means a myth. The tyrant was so afraid for the throne that he even killed his own sons, to say nothing of other people’s children.

The holy family managed to escape from the wrath of the ruler by fleeing to Egypt, where they lived for 3 years. Only after the death of the tyrant, the couple and their child returned to Bethlehem. When Jesus grew up, he began to help his betrothed father in carpentry, which is how he later earned his living.

At the age of 12, Jesus comes with his parents to Jerusalem for Easter, where he spends 3-4 days having spiritual conversations with the scribes who interpreted the Holy Scriptures. The boy amazes his mentors with his knowledge of the Laws of Moses, and his questions baffle more than one teacher. Then, according to the Arabic Gospel, the boy withdraws into himself and hides his own miracles. Evangelists do not even write about the child’s future life, explaining this by saying that zemstvo events should not affect spiritual life.

Personal life

Since the Middle Ages, controversy about the personal life of Jesus has not subsided. Many people were worried about whether he was married or whether he left any descendants behind him. But the clergy tried to reduce these conversations to a minimum, since the son of God could not become addicted to earthly things. Previously, there were many Gospels, each of which was interpreted in its own way. But the clergy tried to get rid of the “wrong” books. There is even a version that references to the family life of Christ are not specifically included in the New Testament.

Other Gospels mention the wife of Christ. Historians agree that his wife was Mary Magdalene. And in the Gospel of Philip there are even lines about how Christ’s disciples were jealous of their teacher for Mary for a kiss on the lips. Although in the New Testament this girl is described as a harlot who took the path of correction and followed Christ from Galilee to Judea.

At that time, an unmarried girl did not have the right to accompany a group of wanderers, unlike the wife of one of them. If we remember that the risen Lord first appeared not to the disciples, but to Magdalene, then everything falls into place. The apocrypha also contains references to the marriage of Jesus, when he performed the first miracle by turning water into wine. Otherwise, why would he and Our Lady worry about food and wine at the wedding feast in Cana?

In the time of Jesus, unmarried men were considered strange and even ungodly, so there was no way an unmarried prophet would become a Teacher. If Mary Magdalene is the wife of Jesus, then the question arises as to why he chose her as his betrothed. Political trends are probably involved here.

Jesus could not become a contender for the throne of Jerusalem as an outsider. Having taken as a wife a local girl belonging to the princely family of the tribe of Veniamin, he already became one of his own. The child born to the couple would have become a prominent political figure and a clear contender for the throne. Perhaps this is why persecution arose, and subsequently the murder of Jesus. But the clergy present the son of God in a different light.

Historians believe that this was the reason for the 18-year gap in his life. The Church tried to eradicate heresy, although a layer of indirect evidence remained on the surface.

This version is also confirmed by a papyrus released by Harvard University professor Carin King, in which the phrase is clearly written: “ Jesus said to them, “My wife...”

Baptism

God appeared to the prophet John the Baptist, who lived in the desert, and commanded him to preach among sinners, and to baptize those who wanted to be cleansed of sin in the Jordan.

Until the age of 30, Jesus lived with his parents and helped them in every possible way, and after that an insight descended on him. He strongly desired to become a preacher, telling people about divine phenomena and the meaning of religion. Therefore, he goes to the Jordan River, where he is baptized by John the Baptist. John immediately realized that this very youth was in front of him - the son of the Lord, and, perplexed, objected:

“I need to be baptized by You, and You come to me?”

Jesus then went into the desert, where he wandered for 40 days. Thus, he prepared himself for the mission to atone for the sin of the human race through an act of self-sacrifice.

At this time, Satan is trying to hinder him through temptations, which became more sophisticated each time.

1. Hunger. When Christ was hungry, the tempter said:

“If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.”

2. Pride. The devil took the man to the top of the temple and said:

“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, because the angels of God will support you and you will not stumble on the stones.”

Christ rejected this too, saying that he did not intend to test the power of God for his own whim.

3. Temptation by Faith and Wealth.

“I will give you power over the kingdoms of the earth, which is given to me, if you worship me,” Satan promised. Jesus answered: “Get thee behind Me, Satan, for it is written: God is to be worshiped and only served.”

The Son of God did not give in and was not tempted by the gifts of Satan. The rite of Baptism gave him strength to fight the sinful instructions of the tempter.

12 apostles of Jesus

After wandering through the desert and fighting the devil, Jesus finds 12 followers and gives them a piece of his own gift. Traveling with his disciples, he brings the word of God to the people and performs miracles so that people believe.

Miracles

Turning water into fine wine.
Healing the paralyzed.
The miraculous resurrection of Jairus's daughter.
Resurrection of the son of the Nain widow.
Calming the storm on Lake Galilee.
Healing of the Gadarian demoniac.
The miraculous feeding of the people with five loaves.
Walking of Jesus Christ on the surface of the water.
Healing of the Canaanite daughter.
Healing of ten lepers.
The miracle on Lake Gennesaret is the filling of empty nets with fish.

The Son of God instructed people and explained each of his commandments, inclining them to God’s teaching.

The Lord's popularity grew every day and masses of people rushed to see the miraculous preacher. Jesus bequeathed the commandments, which later became the foundations of Christianity.

Love and honor the Lord God.
Don't worship idols.
Do not use the name of the Lord in empty conversations.
Work six days, and pray on the seventh.
Respect and honor your parents.
Don't kill another or yourself.
Do not violate marital fidelity.
Do not steal or appropriate other people's property.
Don't lie and don't be jealous.

But the more Jesus won people's love, the more the nobles of Jerusalem hated him. The nobles were afraid that their power would be shaken and conspired to kill the messenger of God. Christ triumphantly enters Jerusalem on a donkey, thereby reproducing the Jewish legend about the triumphant coming of the Messiah. The people enthusiastically greet the New Tsar, throwing palm branches and their own clothes at his feet. People expect that the age of tyranny and humiliation will soon end. With such pandemonium, the Pharisees were afraid to arrest Christ and took a wait-and-see attitude.

The Jews expect from Him victory over evil, peace, security and stability, but Jesus, on the contrary, invites them to renounce everything worldly and become homeless wanderers who will preach the word of God. Realizing that nothing would change in power, people hated God and considered God a deceiver who had destroyed their dreams and hopes. The Pharisees also played an important role here, inciting a rebellion against the “false prophet.” The surrounding situation becomes more and more tense, and Jesus step by step approaches the loneliness of the Gethsemane night.

Passion of Christ

According to the Gospel, the passion of Christ is usually called the torment endured by Jesus in the last days of his earthly life. The clergy have compiled a list of the priority of the passions:

Entry of the Lord into the Jerusalem Gates
Supper in Bethany, when the sinner washes Christ’s feet with myrrh and her own tears, and wipes them with her hair.
God's son washing the feet of his disciples. When He and the apostles came to the house where it was necessary to eat Passover, there were no servants to wash the guests’ feet. Then Jesus himself washed the feet of his disciples, thereby teaching them a lesson in humility.

Last Supper. It was here that Christ predicted that the disciples would abandon him and betray him. Soon after this conversation, Judas left the supper.
The road to the Garden of Gethsemane and prayer to the Father. At the Mount of Olives, he calls out to the Creator and asks for deliverance from his impending fate, but receives no answer. In deep sadness, Jesus goes to say goodbye to his disciples, expecting earthly torment.

Trial and crucifixion

Descending from the mountain in the dead of night, he informs them that the traitor is already close and asks his followers not to leave. However, at the moment when Judas arrived with a crowd of Roman soldiers, all the apostles were already fast asleep. The traitor kisses Jesus, ostensibly greeting him, but thereby showing the guards the true prophet. And they put Him in shackles and take Him to the Sanhedrin to administer justice.

According to the Gospel, this happened on the night from Thursday to Friday of the week before Easter. The first to interrogate Christ was Annas, Caiaphas' father-in-law. He expected to hear about witchcraft and magic, thanks to which crowds of people follow the prophet and worship him as a deity. Having achieved nothing, Annas sent the captive to Caiaphas, who had already gathered elders and religious fanatics.

Caiaphas accused the prophet of blasphemy for calling himself the son of God and sending him to the prefect Pontius. Pilate was a just man and tried to dissuade those gathered from killing the righteous man. But the judges and confessors began to demand that the culprit be crucified. Then Pontius offered to decide the fate of the righteous man to the people gathered in the square. He announced: “I consider this man innocent, choose for yourself, life or death.” But at that moment, only the prophet’s opponents gathered near the court, shouting about crucifixion.

Before his execution, Jesus was beaten with whips by 2 executioners for a long time, torturing his body and breaking the bridge of his nose. After the public punishment, he was put on a white shirt, which was immediately soaked in blood. A crown of thorns was placed on his head, and a sign on his neck with the inscription: “I am God” in 4 languages. The New Testament says that the inscription read: “Jesus of Nazareth - King of the Jews,” but it is unlikely that such a text would fit on a small board, and even in 4 dialects. Later, Roman priests rewrote the Bible, trying to keep silent about the shameful fact.

After the execution, which the righteous man endured without making a sound, he had to carry a heavy cross to Golgotha. Here the hands and feet of the martyr were nailed to a cross, which was dug into the ground. The guards tore off his clothes, leaving him in only a loincloth. At the same time that Jesus was being punished, two criminals were hanged on either side of the slanted crossbar of the crucifixion. In the morning they were released, and only Jesus remained on the cross.

At the hour of Christ’s death, the earth shook, as if nature itself rebelled against the cruel execution. The deceased was buried in a tomb, thanks to Pontius Pilate, who was very sympathetic to the innocent, executed man.

Resurrection

On the third day after his death, the martyr rose from the dead and appeared in the flesh to his disciples. He gave them the last instructions before his ascension to heaven. When the guards came to check if the deceased was still there, they found only an open cave and a bloody shroud.

It was announced to all believers that the body of Jesus was stolen by his disciples. The pagans hastily covered Golgotha and the Holy Sepulcher with earth.

Evidence for the Existence of Jesus

By familiarizing yourself with the Bibles, primary sources and archaeological finds, you can find real evidence of the existence of the Messiah on earth.

In the 20th century, during excavations in Egypt, an ancient papyrus was discovered containing verses from the Gospel. Scientists have proven that the manuscript dates back to 125-130 years.
In 1947, ancient scrolls containing biblical texts were found on the shores of the Dead Sea. This discovery proved that parts of the first Bible are closest to its modern sound.
In 1968, during archaeological research in the north of Jerusalem, the body of a man crucified on a cross was discovered - John (son of Kaggol). This proves that then criminals were executed in this way, and the Bible describes the truth.
In 1990, a vessel containing the remains of the deceased was found in Jerusalem. On the wall of the vessel there is an inscription engraved in Aramaic that reads: “Joseph, son of Caiaphas.” Perhaps this is the son of the same high priest who subjected Jesus to persecution and trial.
In Caesarea in 1961, an inscription was discovered on a stone associated with the name of Pontius Pilate, prefect of Judea. He was called a prefect, and not a procurator, like all subsequent successors. The same record is in the Gospels, which proves the reality of biblical events.

Science was able to confirm the existence of Jesus, confirming with facts the stories of the Testament. And even a famous scientist said in 1873:

“It is extremely difficult to imagine that this vast and wonderful universe, just like man, arose by chance; this seems to me the main argument in favor of the existence of God.”

New religion

He also predicted that at the turn of the century a New Religion would arise, bringing light and positivity. And now his words began to come true. The new spiritual group was born quite recently and has not yet received public recognition. The term NRM was introduced into scientific use as a contrast to the words sect or cult, which obviously carry a negative connotation. In 2017, in the Russian Federation there are more than 300 thousand people associated with any religious movement.

Psychologist Margaret Theler has compiled a classification of NRMs, consisting of a dozen subgroups (religious, oriental, interest-based, psychological and even political). New religious movements are dangerous because the goals of the leaders of these groups are not known for certain. And also the bulk of the groups of the new religion are directed against the Russian Orthodox Church and pose a hidden threat to the Christian world.

The city where Jesus Christ was born

Much is said about the birth of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew and Luke. But not everyone has seen these places and certainly not been there. Let's take a tour of one of the oldest churches in the world.

Basilica of the Nativity- one of the oldest churches in the world. The building was built over a 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 actual birthplace of Jesus located below - 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 infants. And Luke indicates that Mary and Joseph were from Nazareth, and Jesus was born in Bethlehem while they were in town for a special occasion. Theologians view the two stories as contradictory, but Matthew is considered the more reliable source. However, in both versions, Jesus was born in Bethlehem and grew up in Nazareth. Star of Bethlehem and Altar Roman Catholics have a unique Altar of Awe in the “Jesus manger.” Catholics also place a silver star under the Altar of the Nativity. Both Catholics and Armenians have the right to own the nave. 1. Nativity Square; 2. Gate of humility; 3. Nave; 4. High altar and Greek Orthodox basilica (iconostasis); 5. Stairs to the cave; 6. Caves of the Nativity of Christ; 7. Franciscan monastery; 8. Franciscan courtyard; 9. Cave of St. Jerome; 10. Church of St. Catherine; 11. Greek Orthodox monastery; 12. Greek Orthodox court; 13. Armenian courtyard; 14. Armenian monastery.

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

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

The first temple over the cave, which was revered by believers as the birthplace of Jesus, was built in the 330s. at the direction of Emperor Constantine the Great; The consecration of the temple took place on May 31, 339.

The modern building of the Church of the Nativity is the only Christian temple in Palestine that has survived intact from the pre-Islamic period.

Divine services in the Church of the Nativity have been virtually uninterrupted since the early Byzantine era.

The Church of the Nativity is one of the main Christian churches of the Holy Land, along with the Church of Calvary and the Holy Sepulcher and the Church of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives.

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 people constantly fought. It was conquered and defended by a variety of armies, including Muslims and Crusaders. The facade of the Basilica of the Nativity is surrounded by the high walls of three monasteries: Franciscan on the northeast side, Greek Orthodox and Armenian Orthodox on the southeast.

Black and white photo of an old church.

The Basilica of the Nativity was founded by the Holy Empress Helena during her pilgrimage to the Holy Land in the mid-330s. According to Eusebius of Caesarea:

“...she erected two temples to the worshiped God: one at the cave of birth, the other on the mountain of ascension, for Emmanuel (God with us) deigned to be born for us underground, and the Jews recognize Bethlehem as the place of his carnal birth. Therefore, the most pious Vasilisa decorated this sacred cave in every possible way and honored the burden of the Mother of God with wondrous monuments. And a little later, the basileus honored the same cave with his offerings, adding gold and silver gifts and various veils to the bounty of his mother.”

The place that Elena chose is not directly indicated in the Gospels; only the apocryphal Proto-Gospel of Jacob tells about a certain cave.

Origen first wrote about the cave in Bethlehem around 247; he claims that Christ was born in the city itself (other authors, such as Justin, placed the cave in the vicinity of Bethlehem or halfway from Jerusalem) and calls the place of the Nativity the cave that residents show to pilgrims.

This temple, like a number of others built by Emperor Constantine in the Holy Land, according to the testimony of Eusebius of Caesarea and Cyril of Scythopolis, was not intended to hold divine services, but to create an opportunity for everyone to see places of gospel history.

However, the pilgrim Silvia (Etheria) (end of the 4th century), in her notes on the pilgrimage to the Holy Land, reports that on Thursday of Bright Week from Jerusalem, believers go to Bethlehem for the all-night vigil, noting that it takes place in the church where “there is a cave, where the Lord was born."

The Basilica of Constantine was destroyed by fire in 529 during the uprising of Samaria, as evidenced by the results of archaeological excavations of 1934-36. In general, the Bethlehem Basilica of Constantine repeated the general features of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

The entrance to the famous basilica is quite nondescript

Aerial view of the basilica grounds

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.

3D model of the basilica

During the Byzantine period, the basilica was a martyrium church and did not have an episcopal see. During the period of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the basilica became the see of the Latin bishop of Bethlehem and Ascalon (from 1100). In 1100, on Christmas Day, Baldwin I was crowned there, and in 1118, Baldwin II. During this period, the Basilica of the Nativity was described by numerous pilgrims of the 12th-13th centuries.

In the 12th century. the basilica was surrounded by monastery buildings, as well as a defensive wall with rectangular projecting towers.

After the conquest of Bethlehem by the army of Salah ad-Din (1187), the Latin bishop and clergy were expelled from the basilica. Five years later, 2 Catholic priests and a deacon received permission to return to the temple, but he himself was handed over by the Muslim authorities to representatives of the Syrian Orthodox Church.

In 1229 Bethlehem again came under Frankish control.

Due to constant wars, in 1244 the basilica was desecrated by the Khorezmian Turks, and in 1263 one of the monasteries adjacent to the temple was destroyed.

In 1266, the Mamluk Sultan Baybars I exported marble and columns to Cairo.

From 1271 Catholic pilgrims began to visit Bethlehem again, and from 1277 they were allowed to perform divine services.

Since 1347, the Catholic Church in the basilica has been represented by the Franciscan Order, which to this day owns the throne in the chapel of the Manger of the Cave of the Nativity.

Since 1244, the Greek Church has owned the main altar of the basilica and the friary at its southern wall.

Cross on the roof of the basilica

After the conquest of Palestine by the Ottoman Empire, the rights of Christians to the Basilica of the Nativity were not limited. With the permission of the authorities, the temple was repaired several times: in 1479, a lead roof was installed, made with the money of the English king Edward IV, in 1670-71. the roof was repaired by the Greeks, who also installed a new iconostasis in the basilica (replaced with a new one in 1764).

An earthquake in 1834 and a fire in 1869 caused damage to the interior of the Cave of the Nativity and necessitated renovation work.

Donations (bells, chandeliers) were repeatedly sent to the temple from the Russian emperors Alexander III and Nicholas II.

The Manger Square, a large paved courtyard in front of the basilica, is a gathering place for residents on Christmas Eve, where they sing carols in anticipation of the midnight service.

Manger Square is the main city square in the center of Bethlehem.

It takes its name from the manger in which Jesus Christ was born where the Church of the Nativity is located today, the oldest existing church located in the square.

Also in Manger Square are the Mosque of Omar (the city's only mosque) and the Palestinian Peace Center.

The names of the streets leading to the square are also associated with Jesus Christ: Star and Nativity streets.

In 1998-99 The square has been renovated and is now pedestrian.

Manger Square is a popular meeting place for local residents and the city’s many pilgrims.

The square is lined with rows of southern frame trees providing shade, benches and a white and yellow marble fountain.

View of Yaselnaya Square

The basilica can be entered through a very low door called the “door of humility.” This is a very small rectangular entrance, created during the Ottoman Empire to prevent looters from bringing carts into the church, and to ensure that even the most respectable and important visitors would dismount to get inside. The door opening was noticeably reduced in size from the previous door, the pointed arch of which can still be seen at the top.

View through the Door of Humility

Security room - the first room in the basilica

Columns of the basilica

On thirty of the 44 columns you can see Crusader paintings of saints, the Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus, although due to time and lighting conditions they are quite difficult to see.

Nave and ceiling

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

Iconostases

The entrance to the caves under the church, which are its main attraction. You can enter the cave via the stairs near the altar. It was here, according to legend, that Jesus Christ was born.

Northern staircase to the caves.

Under the pulpit of the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem is the Cave of the Nativity. The chapel of the Manger was built in the cave (today it is run by Catholics). To the right of the entrance to this chapel there is a manger where Christ was laid after birth. They are a recess lined with white marble in the floor (approx. 1 x 1.3 m), arranged in the form of a cradle. Five unquenchable lamps burn above the Manger, and behind them, against the wall, there is a small image depicting the worship of the Bethlehem shepherds to the Child.

In ancient times, according to the testimony of Jerome of Stridon, the manger was made of clay, and then they were made of gold and silver. Medieval pilgrims kissed the manger through three round holes in its marble frame. In the 19th century, Mikhail Skaballanovich describes the manger of Christ as made of marble, with “the bottom of white marble, and the side walls of brown marble; in the manger lies a wax image of the infant Christ

Nursery

The Gospel does not mention the cave, but less than a century later Justin Martyr and the Proto-Gospel of James reported that Jesus was born in the cave. This makes sense since many houses in the area are still 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.

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

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

Southern staircase to the cave.

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

Altar over the Star of Bethlehem

Lower part of the altar

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

The church was built on the spot 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 dating back to the Crusades of the 12th century. In addition, in the same place in the fifth century there was a monastery of St. James. and united the chapel with the 12th-century Crusade-era monastery that previously stood on the site. Traces of a 5th century monastery, which is associated with St. Jerome, are also present here.

In the Church of St. Catherine

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

Basilica of the Nativity– one of the oldest churches in the world. The building was built over a 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 actual birthplace of Jesus located below - 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 infants. And Luke indicates that Mary and Joseph were from Nazareth, and Jesus was born in Bethlehem while they were in town for a special occasion. Theologians view the two stories as contradictory, but Matthew is considered the more reliable source. However, in both versions, Jesus was born in Bethlehem and grew up in Nazareth. Star of Bethlehem and Altar Roman Catholics have a unique Altar of Awe in the “Jesus manger.” Catholics also place a silver star under the Altar of the Nativity. Both Catholics and Armenians have the right to own the nave. 1. Nativity Square; 2. Gate of humility; 3. Nave; 4. High altar and Greek Orthodox basilica (iconostasis); 5. Stairs to the cave; 6. Caves of the Nativity of Christ; 7. Franciscan monastery; 8. Franciscan courtyard; 9. Cave of St. Jerome; 10. Church of St. Catherine; 11. Greek Orthodox monastery; 12. Greek Orthodox court; 13. Armenian courtyard; 14. Armenian monastery.

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

The modern building of the Church of the Nativity is the only Christian temple in Palestine that has survived intact from the pre-Islamic period.

Divine services in the Church of the Nativity have been virtually uninterrupted since the early Byzantine era.

The Church of the Nativity is one of the main Christian churches of the Holy Land, along with the Church of Calvary and the Holy Sepulcher and the Church of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives.

Black and white photo of an old church.

The Basilica of the Nativity was founded by the Holy Empress Helena during her pilgrimage to the Holy Land in the mid-330s. According to Eusebius of Caesarea:

The place that Elena chose is not directly indicated in the Gospels; only the apocryphal Proto-Gospel of Jacob tells about a certain cave.

The entrance to the famous basilica is quite nondescript

Aerial view of the basilica grounds

3D model of the basilica

In the 12th century. the basilica was surrounded by monastery buildings, as well as a defensive wall with rectangular projecting towers.

In 1229 Bethlehem again came under Frankish control.

Due to constant wars, in 1244 the basilica was desecrated by the Khorezmian Turks, and in 1263 one of the monasteries adjacent to the temple was destroyed.

In 1266, the Mamluk Sultan Baybars I exported marble and columns to Cairo.

From 1271 Catholic pilgrims began to visit Bethlehem again, and from 1277 they were allowed to perform divine services.

Since 1347, the Catholic Church in the basilica has been represented by the Franciscan Order, which to this day owns the throne in the chapel of the Manger of the Cave of the Nativity.

Since 1244, the Greek Church has owned the main altar of the basilica and the friary at its southern wall.

Cross on the roof of the basilica

After the conquest of Palestine by the Ottoman Empire, the rights of Christians to the Basilica of the Nativity were not limited. With the permission of the authorities, the temple was repaired several times: in 1479, a lead roof was installed, made with the money of the English king Edward IV, in 1670–71. the roof was repaired by the Greeks, who also installed a new iconostasis in the basilica (replaced with a new one in 1764).