Welcome to Bethlehem! Welcome to Palestine!

Our next stop was Bethlehem. Through the Bethlehem Wall (Pictures and stories of the wall will come in an extra post)and right into the arms of our hosting families. 

Today I want to show you some pictures of the Church of Nativity the (assumed) Birthplace of Jesus and the Milk Grotto Church.

In the moment the church is being renovated so there are many scaffoldings and stuff like that. 

The Church of Nativity was built in 327 by Constantine and his mother Helena. Helena believed that she found the Birthplace of Jesus and Build a Church on top of the cave.

 

It was quite crowed and especially down in the cave there where so many people, that I didn’t take pictures, it also didn’t seem fit in such a place.

 

A little south from the Church of Nativity is the “Milk Grotto Church”.

The legend tells that Mary breastfed her child and a drop of milk fell onto a stone and today over this stone is the Milk Grotto Church.

The church is the place, where many many women make a pilgrimage to which are trying to conceive.
It is also believed, that by mixing the soft white chalk with their food and praying to the Virgin Mary they will increase their ability to become pregnant. 

The Basement is like a cave and there is quite the modern church on the top of it.

 

Did I mention that I really like cemeteries?!

Next time I’ll show you around Bethlehem a little bit more ;)

Greets, Fiona