Church of the Nativity/Bethlehem

Bethlehem is in the West Bank, though it is very close to the Old part of Jerusalem.  The church there is mostly preserved from the Crusader times.

There is a beautiful mosaic under the wooden floor

High ceilings with windows and fresco paintings.

 It's a Greek Othodox Church now, which means it has lots of...decoration.

This is the front of the main area.  The priests (I think that's what they call them in this faith) go behind that ornate golden screen to perform the Eucharist.

Downstairs, because--of course--the church is built over the holy site, is the birthplace of Christ.  It is impossible to see it.  See that hole in the center of the photo?  That his how much of the "natural stone" is left  to see.  It is covered in ornaments and it is cramped and dark.  They burn incense and candles all the time which is why...

The walls and things get all black and gross--you can see this in the above photo.

This church is connected above and below ground to the Catholic Church of the Nativity (although it may have a different technical name) and I will show pictures and talk about that tomorrow.

If you want to know more about why it would have been a stone "cave" where Christ was born and not a wooden barn like we Americans all imagine, read this.