Painting of the birth of jesus christ in a cave. Where jesus christ was born. The place of finding the Life-giving Cross of the Lord

The authors and adherents of the Bible consider the birthplace of Jesus Christ to be the city of Bethlehem, located a few kilometers south of Jerusalem. One of the oldest cities in the world, Bethlehem was founded around the 17th century BC. At first, the Canaanites lived there, later the Jews.

Modern Bethlehem is predominantly inhabited by Palestinians, but the city's Christian community is one of the oldest in the world.

Scientists are at a loss for the exact date of Jesus. Protestants believe that Christ was born, and Orthodox Christians celebrate his birth on the night of January 6-7. Almost immediately after birth, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Egypt for a while. Jesus spent most of his life in Nazareth, located north of Jerusalem.

Mary, the mother of Christ, and her husband Joseph were residents of Nazareth, a small village in Galilee. These lands were conquered by the Romans in due time. And so the ruler of Rome Augustus once ordered to conduct a census of the population in the lands subordinate to him. Every Jew was told to come to his hometown and enroll there.

Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem, where all members of their family were assigned. The city was filled with people, so the pilgrims could not find a refuge in it. It was late afternoon when Joseph and Mary, who were expecting a baby, found a cave where local shepherds hid their livestock during stormy times. That night, in this cave, a child was born, who was destined to become the ruler of human thoughts for the next two millennia.

Modern Bethlehem

Today Bethlehem is a small town, which, however, occupies a special place on the world map. The city is spread on the slopes of low rocky hills near Jerusalem. There are always many pilgrims who want to see the birthplace of the Savior and worship holy places with their own eyes.

The birthday of Christ is celebrated in Bethlehem very splendidly and is considered one of the main holidays.

Olive trees, cypresses, date palms grow in the suburban fields. Some trees are so old that they could well have been silent witnesses of the birth of Jesus Christ. Under the scorching rays of the sun, as in those ancient times, herds of goats and sheep graze. This gives the local landscape a unique character that is well described in the Bible.

Historical research and archaeological excavations were actively carried out in these historical places at different times. In the vicinity of Bethlehem, researchers discovered the remains of religious buildings, objects of religious worship and household utensils of those peoples who lived on the land that was holy for every Christian many centuries ago. Locals love their city very much and are rightfully proud of its history. After all, it was here that the legend was born about who was destined to save humanity.

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Tip 2: What's more important to humanity: the birth of Jesus Christ or his death

The question of what is more important for humanity is the birth or death of Jesus Christ is not correct. First of all, it is necessary to speak not only about the importance of the New Testament events for humanity, but, first of all, about the purpose of the historical New Testament events from the life of Christ.

The very moment of the Incarnation was necessary for the salvation of all people, the reconciliation of man and God, deliverance from the power of hell (into which all people fell before the death of the Savior). Christ is incarnated to give the opportunity to regain the opportunity to be with God after death.

It is not worth talking separately about the birth of Christ and his death. All this is aimed at one action - the salvation of man. Although, in Orthodox dogmatic textbooks one can find information that the salvation of a person occurred through the death of the cross on the cross of the second Person of the Holy Trinity. This is really so - through the death of God, a person acquires the possibility of eternal life with the Lord after his death. However, if it were not for the very fact of birth (the incarnation of Christ), we would not talk about the sacrifice on the cross.

Now we can say about the importance of the very incarnation (birth) of Jesus Christ from the other side. God Himself takes on a human body, human nature is hypostasized in the single hypostasis of the second Person of the Trinity. The human being is sanctified, done. This also needs to be considered when we talk about the birth of Christ. One of the hierarchs of the ancient Christian Church said that God became man in order for man to become God. Of course, man cannot have a divine nature (being), but he can become "God" by grace.

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The Basilica of the Nativity is a Christian church in Bethlehem, built over the birthplace of Jesus Christ. It is one of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world. Under the pulpit of the basilica is the greatest Christian shrine - the cave of the Nativity. The birthplace of Christ is located in the eastern part of the cave and is marked with a silver star.

A brief history of the basilica Nativity of Christ

The Basilica of the Nativity was founded by the order of Emperor Constantine the Great by Saint Empress Helena during her pilgrimage to the Holy Land in the mid-330s. In general, the Bethlehem Basilica of Constantine repeated the general features of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

The basilica was destroyed by fire in 529 during the Samaria uprising. During the reign of Emperor Justinian, it was restored. In 1009, during the conquest of the city by the Caliph Al-Hakim, the basilica did not suffer, since the Muslims venerated the birthplace of Christ (the southern part of the temple was separated by them and was used as a mosque).

In the Byzantine period, the basilica was a tomb church and did not have an episcopal see. During the period of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the basilica became the cathedra of the Latin bishop of Bethlehem and Ascalon. In the 12th century, the basilica was surrounded by monastery buildings, as well as by a defensive wall with rectangular protruding towers.

After the conquest of Bethlehem by the army of Salah ad-Din (1187), the Latin bishop and clergy were expelled from the basilica. In 1263, one of the monasteries adjacent to the temple was destroyed. In 1266, Sultan Baybars I brought marble and columns to Cairo.

Since 1347, the Catholic Church in the basilica was represented by the Franciscan order, who to this day own the throne in the side-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 monastery at its southern wall.

The earthquake of 1834 and the fire of 1869 damaged the interior of the Nativity Cave and necessitated repairs. Donations from the Russian emperors Alexander III and Nicholas II (bells, chandeliers) were repeatedly sent to the temple.

Territory b aziliki Nativity of Christ

1. Square of the Nativity of Christ;
2. The gate of humility;
3. Nave;
4. High altar and Greek Orthodox basilica (iconostases);
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 courtyard;
13. Armenian court;
14. Armenian monastery.

Basilica plan

Plan of the underground part of the basilica (engraving after drawing by George Sandys 1610s)

A. Altar of Nativity
B. Nursery
C. Altar of the Magi
D. North and South steps from the temple
E. Entrance (door)
F. Chapel of the Innocent Babies
G. Tomb of Eusebius
H. Tomb of St. Jerome
I. Tomb of Paul and Euphrosyne
K. Cell of St. Jerome
L. Ascent to the church of St. Catherine
M. Church of St. Catherine
N. Prayers

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 stands to this day.

Today the church is governed by three Christian denominations - the Armenian Church, the Roman Catholic Church and the Greek Orthodox 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 they constantly fought. It was conquered and defended by a wide variety of armies, including Muslims and crusaders. The facade of the Basilica of the Nativity of Christ is surrounded by high walls of three monasteries: Franciscan on the northeast side, Greek Orthodox and Armenian Orthodox on the southeast.

The main building 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.

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

The basilica can be accessed through a very low door called the “door of humility”. This is a very small rectangular entrance, created during the Ottoman rule to prevent marauders from bringing carts into the church, and so that even the most respectable and important visitors dismount to get inside. The opening of the door has been significantly reduced compared to the size of the previous door, the arch of which can still be seen at the top.

View through the Door of Humility

Security room - the first room in the basilica

Basilica columns

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

The columns are made of pink polished limestone, most of them have been standing since the 4th century, from the time of the Constantine Basilica.

And this is an ancient baptismal font.

One of the columns has five cross-shaped holes. The legend says that bees flew out of this column and bit the wicked who were going to outrage the temple.

And on this column (the Greek part of the temple), at the top, you can see the Image of the Savior, which has an amazing feature - He either opens or closes his eyes.

The wide nave remains from the days of Justinian, and the roof dates from 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 survived from the 15th century, and holes in the tree drain dirty water 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 been in conflict with each other for many decades and have not been able to come to a common plan of action.

During the excavations, the floor of the basilica was opened, and underneath it was discovered the floor of the first church from the time of Queen Helena. The Byzantine floor mosaic is perfectly preserved ...

Fragments of 12th century mosaics have been preserved in the upper part of some of the walls.

The Armenian Church owns the north transept and the altar located there. They also occasionally use the Greek Orthodox 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.

Armenian throne in the northern part of the basilica.

The iconostasis separates the nave from the sanctuary of the church.

The main building of the basilica, including the naves, aisles, the catholicon (choir and sanctuary), the south transept and the Altar of the Nativity, are under the ownership of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Greek (southern) part of the temple.

In the Greek part there is a throne for the Patriarch.

The Bethlehem icon of the Mother of God is also available for worship in the Greek part of the temple. Most of the icons known to us depict the Blessed Virgin concentrated, immersed in prayer, anxious, grieving ... And this is the only image where the Most Holy Theotokos is depicted smiling, because it was here, in Bethlehem, that She was happy.

Entrance to the caves under the church, which are its main attraction. Two staircases lead to the cave, located to the right and left of the altar. This is where Jesus Christ was born.

North staircase.

North staircase to the caves.

Chapel of the Manger

According to Luke 2: 7: Mary "put Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the monastery." In the southern part of the cave, to the left of the entrance, there is the Manger chapel. This is the only part of the cave that is run by Catholics. It resembles a small chapel measuring about 2 × 2 m, the floor level in it is two steps lower than in the main part of the cave. In this side-chapel is the place of the Manger, where Christ was laid after birth. The Nursery itself is a feeder for pets that was in the cave; the Most Holy Theotokos, of necessity, used them as a cradle. In the middle of the 7th century, the inner part of the Manger was taken out as a great shrine to Rome.

South staircase to the cave.

Christ's manger

The same part of the Manger that remained in Bethlehem was lined with marble and is now a depression in the floor (about 1 x 1.3 m), arranged in the form of a cradle, over which five inextinguishable lamps are burning. Behind these lamps, against the wall, there is a small image depicting the adoration 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 applied to the manger through three round holes in their marble frame. In the 19th century, Mikhail Skaballanovich describes Christ's manger as made of marble, with “the bottom of white marble, and the side walls of brown marble; in the manger lies the image of the infant Christ made of wax. "

In the Roman basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, tablets brought from Palestine have been kept since 642, revered as the manger of Christ. They are called Sacra culla. They are made of olive wood and are five planks held together by metal strips. On one of the metal strips, a heavily worn-out Greek inscription of the 7th-9th centuries with the names of Christian saints has been preserved. The exact time of the manufacture of the tablets themselves has not been established, it is believed that their age is much less than they should have been for similar wooden plates if they were really in the Bethlehem cave at the birth of Christ. Perhaps this relic was placed in the cave by Christians of the Jerusalem Church instead of the original manger, which pilgrims dismantled as a shrine in the first centuries.

On Catholic Christmas, the figurine of Jesus, from the Church of St. Catherine, is transferred to this manger. And they look like this:

The Altar of the Magi - was built in the place where, according to legend, the Magi worshiped the Son of God.

The Magi bring gifts to the Child: gold as the king of earthly and heavenly (note that the root "chris" in the Greek word "Christ" means not only "Anointed One", but also "Gold"), incense like God and myrrh as a mortal man who is to be buried. It is surprising that the gifts of the Magi by some miracle have survived to this day in one of the Athos monasteries.

Here they are - golden openwork plates of oriental work, and balls of incense and dried myrrh are attached to them. There are twenty eight such plates. But, most likely, there were thirty-three of them - according to the number of earthly years of the Savior.

The canonical texts do not speak directly about the cave. The evangelists Luke (Luke 2: 4-7) and Matthew (Matthew 2: 1-11) report that Christ was born in Bethlehem, but none of them mentions the cave, only Luke indirectly points to it, reporting that the Mother of God "put Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the hotel."

The oldest surviving written testimony about the cave as the site of the Nativity belongs to Saint Justin the Philosopher. In Dialogue with Tryphon the Jew, he claims that the Holy Family took refuge in a cave near Bethlehem. The cave as the place of the Nativity is mentioned many times in the apocryphal Proto-Gospel of Jacob.

Origen visited Bethlehem almost a century before the construction of the Basilica of the Nativity, in about 238, and in the essay Against Celsus he mentions a cave in Bethlehem, which the locals believed to be the site of the Nativity of Christ.

What kind of cave it was and to whom it belonged is unknown. Most likely, it was of natural origin, and later it was adapted for household needs. In Bethlehem, many old buildings are erected over caves in limestone cliffs. Often, houses have a cave on their first floor, the entrance to which is at street level. The family lives on the second floor. Many of these rooms have stone feeders or nurseries carved into the rock, as well as iron rings so that animals can be tied up at night. These caves were used for keeping animals until the middle of the 20th century.

Old house in Bethlehem, photo 1898.

Manger - cattle feeders, in Palestine in biblical times looked something like the one shown below.
In the photo, a nursery found by archaeologists on the territory of a Roman villa in Zipori (ancient Sephorius is the capital of Galilee) is a "stone box". In biblical times, there was never a wooden manger; the main household items were made of stone or clay.

At the end of the cave, you can see a door that leads to the northern part of the grotto system located under the basilica, including the cave in which St. Jerome of Stridon lived. Alas, this door is usually always locked.

Behind this door is the entrance to the western part of the Nativity Cave, separated from the eastern part by a partition. There was a natural entrance to the cave; later Blessed Jerome of Stridonsky, the author of the translation of the Bible into folk Latin under the name "Vulgate", settled in it. Here is the cell of the holy ascetic, and here he was buried.

The cave is the cell of the blessed Jerome of Stridon.

Burial place of Blessed Jerome of Stridon

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, dating from the 6th century.

The ceiling is heavily smoked, 32 lamps are suspended from it, and there are 53 of them in the cave. The cave has no natural light, at present it is illuminated with electricity and, in part, with lamps and candles.

The cave measures 12.3 × 3.5 m and 3 m in height, that is, it is rather narrow and long, oriented along the west-east line. The place of Christmas is located at its eastern end. There are two stairs leading to the cave, north and south, each of 15 porphyry steps. The northern staircase belongs to Catholics, the southern Orthodox and Armenians. These entrances acquired their present form in the 12th century, when bronze doors of the 5th-6th centuries were enclosed in marble portals, and the lunettes above the doors were decorated with stone carvings.

The floor of the cave and the lower part of the walls are finished with light marble, the rest is draped with fabric or covered with tapestries of the 19th century, icons are hung on the walls.

General view of the Holy Vertep.

Altar over the Star of Bethlehem.

Lower part of the altar

The silver star on the floor symbolizes the place where Jesus was born. The floor is paved with marble, and 15 icon lamps hang above the star (6 of them belong to the Greek church, 5 to the Armenian and 4 to the Roman). Behind these lamps, small Orthodox icons are placed in a semicircle on the wall of a niche. Two more small glass lamps just stand on the floor, just behind the star, against the wall.

Directly above the place of the Nativity is an Orthodox marble throne. Only Orthodox Christians and Armenians have the right to celebrate the Liturgy on this throne. At a time when there is no service, the throne is closed with a special removable lattice.

Liturgy is celebrated here early in the morning. The service is performed by an Orthodox Arab priest, the Greeks are singing, and mostly Russians are praying.

The silver star has 14 rays and symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem. The genealogy of Jesus Christ, which begins the Gospel of Matthew, says: “So all generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the resettlement to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the migration to Babylon to Christ, fourteen generations. " (Matthew 1:17). There were also exactly 14 stops of Jesus Christ on the way to the place of execution on Mount Golgotha ​​in Jerusalem).

The inscription on the star in Latin: " Hic de virgine Maria Iesus Christus Natus est", Which in translation reads:" Jesus Christ was born here from the Virgin Mary. "

An ancient silver star with gilding was stolen in 1847 (by some unknown person, but most likely by the Turks). The star, which can be seen now, was made according to the exact model of the ancient one and was fortified in 1847 by order of Sultan Abdul-Majid I and at his expense.

The cave of the babies of Bethlehem

We go out into the courtyard of the temple, this is already the territory of a Greek Orthodox monastery. On the left, under a stone canopy, is the entrance to other caves.

In ancient Judea, the coming of the Messiah was awaited for many centuries. He was supposed to lead the country, becoming at the same time its king and chief priest. In those times Israel and Judea were under the rule of the Roman Empire.

The Messiah was supposed to expel the Romans from the country and conquer the neighboring nations. But it was not the great Conqueror who came into the world, but the Savior. He was born in Bethlehem, which since then has been considered the second most important city in Christianity after Jerusalem. This is Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

The birth of Christ was foretold

The inhabitants of Ancient Judea for a long time were under the yoke of the Roman Empire and tried to get rid of it in various ways. At the same time, Rome itself brutally suppressed all the uprisings.

Under these conditions, most of the Jewish society became more committed to the idea of ​​the coming of the Messiah to the land of Judea. The Messiah was to lead the Jews and overthrow Roman rule.

Jewish prophets predicted his appearance. Moreover, if the pagans believed that the Messiah would be a great King and Warrior, then the Christian prophets said that it would be.

Jesus Christ the Son of God is the Savior of mankind.

The text of the Book of Isaiah says that the Savior will be born without a male seed (Isa. 7.14). Such a prophecy in Christianity is considered the first good news or the first gospel.

The Vision of Daniel, Pietro de la Vecchia, 1626-1678. Prophet Daniel was one of the first to predict, by the Will of God, the coming of the Savior to earth

In addition, the prophets described the future earthly life of Christ. It was said that he would be valued at thirty pieces of silver.

This money will be thrown on the floor of the temple (Zech. 11: 12-13). The 53rd chapter of the Book of Isaiah speaks about His ordeals.

She tells about the earthly life of Christ from birth, through suffering to the resurrection of the Messiah.

The text of the book of the Prophet Isaiah says that the Savior will be born without male seed

The Savior's Sunday is spoken of in Psalm 15. In addition, the already named chapter from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah speaks about this.

It also says that the cleansing of mankind from sins will be associated with the knowledge of the Messiah.

In the New Testament, these prophecies are repeatedly quoted. This is done by both Jesus himself and the apostles. At the same time, it is indicated that most of such prophecies have come true.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem, where Joseph was from

Jesus Christ was born into the family of the carpenter Joseph and the Virgin Mary. A detailed story about his birth is found only in the evangelists Mafei and Luke - (Matt. 1: 18-25) and (Luke 2: 4-7). At that time, Emperor Augustus ruled Rome.

He decided to conduct a population census on all lands subject to the Romans. To facilitate this process, all subjects of the empire were ordered to arrive in the cities and villages where they were born.

Joseph and Mary were then living in Nazareth. This is the city in Judea, where Joseph is from. He is a descendant of King David and at that time became engaged to Mary. They had to appear in Bethlehem, since the census was being carried out there. The city was located from Nazareth at a distance of about 130 kilometers.

Many people came to Nazareth for the census. Therefore, Joseph and his pregnant wife could not find a place for the hotel. That is why they had to stay in the barn, along with their pets.

When the baby was born, Mary wrapped him in swaddling clothes and put him in the nursery, since a cradle or other crib could not be found.

The Messiah was born in the city of Bethlehem.

This suggests that one of the Bible prophecies has come true. Despite the fact that the coming of the Messiah in Judea was expected for a long time, the birth of Christ could have passed unnoticed, if not for the will of God.

The fact is that the Angel of the Lord communicated the good news to the shepherds who tended their flocks near the city.

In addition, the Evangelist Matthew testifies that at this time the star of Bethlehem appeared in heaven. She brought the Magi to the city. That is how astronomers and fortune-tellers used to be called. They presented the baby with royal gifts - gold, incense and myrrh.

At this time, the holy family had already moved to a normal house. The Gospel of Matthew refers to this meeting as follows:

“When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, magicians from the east came to Jerusalem and said: where is he who is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him. "

Joseph Fled to Egypt with Jesus and Mary

Joseph was a devout Jew, and therefore on the eighth day after his birth, Jesus was circumcised. On the fortieth day, a sacrifice took place in the Jerusalem temple. Thus, it turns out that the Magi arrived in Bethlehem only after these events took place.

In those days, King Herod directly ruled in Judea, who was subordinate to the Roman emperor. When he heard that the Messiah was born, he was afraid.

Since he did not know exactly where this happened, he ordered in Bethlehem to kill all babies whose age did not exceed two years. Jesus was saved from destruction by the Angel of the Lord, who commanded Joseph to flee with his family to Egypt. Here they lived until the death of Herod.

There are apocryphal versions of the birthplace of Christ

There are apocryphal sources claiming a different version of the birth of the Savior. At the same time, all versions do not deny that the city in which Jesus Christ was born is Bethlehem.

There are only disagreements about the place of his birth in the city. Some witnesses say that this is a cattle shed, while others insist on a cave.

The apocryphal sets out not only different versions of the birthplace of Christ, but also talk about Salome, the midwife, who helped Mary during childbirth.

Apocryphal sources such as "The Protestant Gospel of Jacob" and "The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew" say that Joseph and Mary settled not in a barn, but in a cave that was used as a stable.

This version is recognized, since the Cave of the Nativity is honored in Christianity, where, according to legend, the Savior was born. In addition, the apocryphal introduces such a figure as Salome, the midwife.

She was an old woman and a relative of Mary. Her image is used in iconography as an image of a witness to the integrity of the Holy Virgin.

Translated from Hebrew, Bethlehem is "the city of bread"

The city of Christ's birth is Bethlehem. It is located about eight kilometers south of Jerusalem and currently borders on it. Several theories have been put forward to explain the origin of its name.

Egyptian papyri say that during the XVIII dynasty of the pharaohs there was a settlement located near Jerusalem. It was called Bit-Laham.

In Hebrew, its name sounds like "Beit Lehem". This translates as "house of bread", which means that the city was a major center of the grain trade.

In the Holy Scriptures it is called "the house of David", as it is the birthplace of the king and prophet David. In the flesh, he was the ancestor of Christ. In addition, the city is also called Efrata or fruitful.

During the birth of Benjamin, Rachel, who was the wife of Patriarch Jacob, died here. The events described in the Book of Ruth (Ruth. 1-4) took place in Bethlehem itself.

In addition, the city is mentioned in the Book of Jeremiah. The New Testament mentions it as the birthplace of Jesus.

Bethlehem was destroyed twice and was rebuilt

The City of Jesus is one of the most ancient cities on earth. It was founded in the 17th-16th centuries AD. Previously, this area belonged to the Canaan land. Initially, the Canaanites lived in Bethlehem, later the Jews took their place.

During the Roman rule, the city housed the sanctuary of Adonis. It stood at the site of the Nativity of Jesus Christ. The temple was erected after the end of the second one between Rome and Judea in the II century.

The pagan temple was demolished only in 326 by order of Saint Helena, mother of the first Christian emperor Constantine. She also put a Christian church in its place.

The Temple of the Nativity of Christ was destroyed by the Samaritans during their revolt. In 529, the Emperor Justinian the Great restored it. The Persians who captured the city in 614 spared the Temple.

In 637, it was already captured by the Muslims. Umar-ibn-Khattab, the second caliph of Islam, decided to leave the Temple to Christians.

Bethlehem was ruled by the Crusaders and the Ottomans

Muslims reigned in the Holy Land for a long time. The sovereigns of Christian Europe were outraged by this. Pope Urban II organized the First Crusade in 1095.

The crusaders set their goal the liberation of the three main cities in Christianity: Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth.

Pope Urban II initiated the First Crusade, the purpose of which, among other things, was to recapture Bethlehem from the Muslims.

The goal of the campaign was achieved in four years. All named cities are included in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. It ceased to exist only in 1291. Jerusalem, however, was recaptured from the crusaders by Saladin at the end of 1187.

The crusaders tried repeatedly to get Jerusalem back. It is worth noting that Saladin and his descendants tolerated Christians and gave them free access to the Holy Land.

Since 1517, the Ottomans owned the Holy Land, Jerusalem and Bethlehem. This dominion continued until the collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the end of the 19th century. During this time, pilgrims could have access to shrines.

Unfortunately, many of them died on the way to them. This was due to harsh climatic conditions and attacks by robbers.

Currently, the situation in Bethlehem is turbulent

During the First World War, Bethlehem was occupied by the British. In 1922, the city became part of British Palestine. In 1947 the State of Israel was formed. The so-called "Greater Jerusalem" was formed under the jurisdiction of the UN.

Currently, the ownership of Bethlehem, as well as the western bank of the Jordan River, is the subject of a dispute between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. As a result, a turbulent environment is maintained in the city. This became the reason for the outflow of the population.

So in 1940, the inhabitants of the city were mainly Christian Arabs, accounting for 90% of its population.

After Christians began to emigrate en masse from Palestine and the Middle East to Western Europe and America in the second half of the twentieth century, no more than 20% of them remained in the city.

The Cave of the Nativity - a great Christian relic

The evangelists Luke and Matthew say that Christ was born in Bethlehem, while their texts do not mention the place where the Savior was born. There is only an indirect indication that there was no place in normal housing and the Holy Family was housed in a stable.

The baby was placed in a nursery. In this area, a stable was often set up in caves, which were usually assigned the role of the first floors of residential buildings.

The oldest testimony that Jesus was born in a cave belongs to Saint Justin the Philosopher. In the years 150-155 he wrote an essay called "Dialogue with Tryphon the Jew".

In it, the saint says that during their stay in Bethlehem, the Holy Family was for some time in a cave near the city.

The apocryphal proto-Gospel of Jacob is known, which also speaks of the birth of Christ in a cave. In addition, Origen's testimony also speaks of this. Be that as it may, the Christmas cave, along with the manger, have become firmly established in Christian culture.

A silver star is attached to the site of the Nativity.

The cave in which Jesus was born is located under the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The birthplace of Christ is marked in it with a silver star embedded in the floor. It is currently a copy, since the original star was stolen in 1847 by unknown persons.

These events became the pretext for the Crimean War. A copy of the Christmas star was made and installed by order of Sultan Abdul-Mezhdid I. The star consists of 14 rays and is a symbol of the Bethlehem star. Inside the star, in a circle, there is an inscription Hic de virgine Maria Iesus Christus Natus est. "

A niche has been made in the cave. There are 16 icon lamps hanging in it. Six of them each belong to Armenians and Orthodox Christians, and four to Catholics. An Orthodox marble throne is installed over the place of the Nativity. Only Armenians and Orthodox Christians have the privilege of celebrating the liturgy here.

When there are no services, the throne is covered with a special metal grill that can be removed. In addition, the cave contains Orthodox icons and fragments of Byzantine mosaics.

To the left of the entrance in the southern part of the Nativity Cave or the Holy Nativity scene is the Manger limit. It is run by Catholics. Other parts of the cave belong to Orthodox Christians and Armenians.

The limit is made in the form of a small chapel measuring 2x2 meters. The place of the Nursery in it is located to the right of the entrance. The floor is lower in the limit than in other rooms of the cave. The interior of the Manger is kept as a great shrine in Rome, in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore.

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In the surviving written sources, it was first mentioned around 150 AD. The underground temple has been located here since the time of St. Helena. Belongs .

Place of Christmas

The birthplace of Christ is marked with a silver star that is set into the floor and was once gilded and adorned with precious stones.

The star has 14 rays and symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem, inside there is an inscription in Latin in a circle:

"Hic de virgine Maria Iesus Christus Natus est"

"Jesus Christ was born here from the Virgin Mary"

Above this star, in a semicircular niche, hang 16 icon lamps, of which 6 belong to Orthodox Christians, 6 to Armenians and 4 to Catholics.

Behind these lamps, small icons are placed in a semicircle on the wall of a niche. Two more small glass lamps just stand on the floor, just behind the star, against the wall.

Directly above the place of the Nativity is an Orthodox marble throne.

On this throne, only Orthodox and others have the right to celebrate the Liturgy.

At the front, the throne rests on two small marble columns, and in the niche above it, small fragments of mosaics have been preserved.

At a time when there is no service, the throne is closed with a special removable lattice. Six small Orthodox icons are fixed on the wall behind the throne.

Chapel of the Manger

In the southern part of the cave, to the left of the entrance, there is the Manger chapel.

This is the only part of the cave that is run by Catholics.

It resembles a small chapel measuring about 2 x 2 m, or slightly larger, with the floor level two steps lower than in the main part of the cave.

In this side-chapel, to the right of the entrance, is the place of the Manger, where Christ was laid after birth.

The Manger itself is a feeder for pets that was in the cave, and the Most Holy Theotokos used them as a cradle of necessity.

The interior of the Manger was taken as a great shrine to Rome, to the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, where it is known as Sacra culla, Cunambulum or Praesepe.

This was done in the middle of the 7th century, under Pope Theodore I, several years after the capture, possibly in order to prevent the desecration of the shrine.

The same part of the Manger that remained in Bethlehem was lined with marble and now represents a depression in the floor, arranged in the form of a cradle, over which five inextinguishable lamps are burning.

Behind these lamps, against the wall, there is a small image depicting the adoration of the Bethlehem shepherds to the Child.

In the side-chapel of the Manger, to the left of the entrance to it, is the Catholic throne of the Adoration of the Magi. The altarpiece located here depicts the adoration of the Magi to Christ.

Description of the cave

The cave measures 12.3 x 3.5 m and 3 m in height, that is, it is rather narrow and long, oriented along the west-east line. The place of Christmas is located at its eastern end.

Two staircases from the time of Justinian the Great lead to the cave, north and south, each consisting of 15 porphyry steps.

The northern staircase belongs, the southern one belongs to Orthodox Christians and Armenians, they are located in the eastern part of the cave, symmetrically on both sides of it.

Usually pilgrims go down the southern staircase and climb the northern one. These entrances acquired their present appearance in the 12th century, when the bronze doors of the 5th-6th centuries. were enclosed in marble portals, and the lunettes above the doors are decorated with stone carvings.

The floor of the cave and the lower part of the walls are finished with light marble, the rest is draped with fabric or covered with tapestries of the 19th century, icons are hung on the walls.

The ceiling is heavily smoked, 32 lamps are suspended from it, and there are 53 of them in the cave, and this number has remained unchanged for a long time.

The cave has no natural light, currently it is lit with electricity and, in part, with lamps and candles.

In the western wall of the cave there is a door that leads to the northern part of the grotto system located below the basilica, including the grotto where the saint lived. This door is usually locked.

An ancient silver star with gilding was stolen in 1847 (by some unknown person, but most likely by the Turks).

This theft became a new reason for mutual grievances between Orthodox Greeks and Catholics, and even partially awakened in 1848 the "question of the Holy Places."

The star, which can be seen now, was made according to the exact model of the ancient one and was fortified in 1847 by order of Sultan Abdul-Majid I and at his expense.

For the first time he described the cave of the Nativity in Russian at the beginning of the 12th century. , in the essay "The Life and Walking of Hegumen Daniel from the Russian Land":

“And there, to the east, there is a place, opposite which on the right is the Manger of Christ. On the western side, under a stone rock, there is the Manger of Christ's saints, in which Christ God was placed, in the rags of the povit. For our salvation he endured everything. Close to each other are those places - Christmas and Manger: the distance between them is approximately three fathoms; in one cave both of these places. The cave is decorated with mosaics and beautifully paved. Everything is hollowed out under the church, and the relics of the saints lie here. "

Photo gallery

Useful information

Cave of the Nativity
Grotto of Christmas
Holy Vertep
Holy Nativity

Address and contacts

Bethlehem, Manger Square, Church of the Nativity of Christ

The first mention of the cave

The canonical texts do not speak directly about the cave. The evangelists Luke (Luke 2: 4-7) and Matthew (Matthew 2: 1-11) report that Christ was born in Bethlehem, but none of them mentions the cave, only Luke indirectly points to it, reporting that the Mother of God “I put Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2: 7).

The oldest, probably extant, direct written evidence of the cave as the site of the Nativity belongs to Saint Justin the Philosopher.

In the essay Dialogue with Tryphon the Jew, written in 150-155, he claims that the Holy Family took refuge in a cave near Bethlehem.

The cave as the site of the Nativity is mentioned many times in the apocryphal Proto-Gospel of James (chapters 18-21), written, presumably around 150 BC.

Origen visited Bethlehem almost a century before the construction of the Basilica of the Nativity, around 238. Later, in the essay Against Celsus, written around 247, he mentions a cave in Bethlehem, which the locals considered the site of the Nativity of Christ.

The origin of the cave

What kind of cave it was and to whom it belonged is unknown. Most likely it was of natural origin, and later it was adapted for household needs, including keeping pets.

In Bethlehem, many old buildings are erected over caves in limestone cliffs. Often houses, standing on a slope, have a cave on their first floor, the entrance to which is at street level.

This floor was used as a barn, and the family lived on the second floor.

Many of these rooms have stone feeders or nurseries carved into the rock, as well as iron rings so that animals can be tied up at night.

These caves are exactly the same as the grotto of Christmas, they were used for keeping animals until the middle of the XX century.

Perhaps in one of these caves Christ was born.