Today we wanted to celebrate Christmas and what better place to do it than where it all began – Bethlehem!
We flew from Rome to Tel Aviv and made our way to the holy city for a special Christmas Eve tour.
Our first stop was the Shepherd’s Field where it is said the shepherds saw the star of Bethlehem on that special night. It was really interesting as we sat in a cave and listened to our guide tell us that in Bethlehem it would have been a cave Jesus was born in, as they don’t have wooden structures there. Furthermore, the manger would have been made from limestone as that is what was used for mangers. The Shepherd’s Fields are now archaeological digs and many interesting artifacts from 2000 years ago have been found.
We visited a beautiful church called the Shepherd’s Fields Church that was designed in the shape of tent to show where the shepherds would have been when the angels appeared. Everything was dedicated to angels and there were beautiful frescoes on all the walls.
We then made our way to Manger Square where we were able to see one of the most famous holy sights – the Church of the Nativity. The door to the church is quite small so it forces everyone to bow down to God as they enter.
The church is a huge place divided into the different Christian groups including Greek Orthodox, Catholic and Armenian Apostolics.
In the grotto under the church, an altar marks the spot where Jesus was born. While there you can touch the 16 point star that covers the rock of his birthplace. The 16 points represent the number of generations between Abraham and Jesus. The limestone manger is on the other side of the rock.
Midnight mass is not celebrated at the Church of the Nativity as they celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7. Instead, it is held at Saint Catherine’s Catholic church next door. We tried to get tickets, (lottery) but were not successful, so we will just watch on the big screen in Manger Square.
After visiting these amazing places, we had the chance to be part of the crowd in Manger Square and watch the buildup for the evening’s celebrations.
Part of the celebration included a parade of the scouts from around Israel and Palestine. They practice all year to perform in this parade and play the bagpipes and drums. When we asked why they play the bagpipes, we were told that the bagpipes have been part of the Middle East for centuries. Also, when the British armies were there, many Scottish soldiers played the pipes too and it is now a part of the Scout culture.
Before returning to Jerusalem, we went to a local restaurant near the Shepherd’s fields to share some festive time with the other people with us on tour.
Today was a beautiful way to celebrate Christmas Eve….we can’t wait to see Manger Square tonight!
Merry Christmas everyone!
Comments
28 responses to “O Little Town of Bethlehem!”
Merry Christmas to you all!
To you as well! Have a wonderful time in Costa Rica!
Kat:)
How wonderful to be there – just as you had planned. Enjoy every moment and Merry Christmas to all of you! With love, Lila and Doreen xoxoxo
Hi There,
Yes – we made it and it was everything we had hoped for!
We wish you all the best for the holidays!
Love,
Kat and the gang:)
Wow, you guys never fail to impress! Its so amazing that you are in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve and learning the real history.
CBC just showed Manger Square, the Church of the Nativity and the Christmas tree you are standing in front of, including the politics behind its black and white balls. The media is playing up the tension between the Israelis and the Palistinians so we look forward to hearing your impressions of the Christmas Eve celebrations in Manger Square. Stay safe and have a very Merry Christmas.
HI Chris,
What an interesting observation about the Christmas decorations. The colours of the ornaments were red, white, black, and green – which are the colours on the flag of Palestine. So I’m not quite sure what political statement black and white meant?
As for the tensions…they are there for sure in Jerusalem, however not in Bethlehem as Israelis are not allowed to enter there – only foreigners are allowed.
As for the celebrations in Manger Square, the number of tourists were very low compared to other years. You really have to feel for the people who live there as they are starving for tourists. They were so happy to see us….and would do anything to have you purchase something from their shops/stands. Wonderful and friendly people….just so sad to see how the war has affected everyone.
Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Love,
Kat:)
merry Christmas!
See you at Manger Square.
Hi George,
Sorry we missed you at the celebration. Did you get into the mass? We tried our best and used every Canadian charm we had with the soldiers, but to no avail. We watched with everyone else outside and had a great time!
We hope you have super continued travels – keep us posted!
Cheers,
Kat and the gang:)
Merry Christmas to you all. What a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas. You all look so wonderful.
HI INiyal,
Merry Christmas from warm Bethlehem! We hope you, Randy and Alexander have a fabulous Christmas and New Year!
Love,
Kat:)
Merry Christmas! May God keep you in his loving care always! Love, Mom and Dad/Baba and Papou
Hi There,
…you have to come here one day…you would love it!
Love,
Kat:)
Awesome…Merry Christmas my new Travel Buddies! All the best and continued safe travels in 2015!!!
You are the envy and new discussion topic of all of my neighbours here in Florida!
Hi Herta,
Happy Holidays to you and all of the neighbours too! We hope we continue to give you fun things to talk about!
Merry Christmas!
Kat and the gang:)
We are all gathered here at Helen & Brian’s for our traditional Christmas Eve gathering. We just enjoyed reading your blog! love it…but miss you all! love, Anna & Don Henderson, Christina, Don & Giselle, Baba Jenny & Steve, Mae, Anthony & Rosemary, Baba Freda & Nick, Helen & Brian! MERRY CHRISTMAS!
HI There,
Sorry we missed the party – we’ll be there next year for sure!
Lots of love to everyone and Merry Christmas!
Love,
kat and the gang:)
What a wonderful place to spend Christmas Eve! Merry Christmas to you all.
Bev
Hi Bev,
Merry Christmas to you and yours as well!
All the best for a wonderful 2015!
Love,
Oliver, Kat and the girls:)
Merry Christmas to all! What a beautiful way to spend Christmas. I can’t wait to see where you’ll be to bring in the new year!
HI Judy,
Merry Christmas to you and all the family! We hope that your holidays are super duper and that Kaelyn has a great time with Santa!
Love,
kat and the gang:)
The perfect place to be at Christmas time! I am sure that it was a very moving experience for all of you; as it was for me, just reading your blog and seeing the photos.
Joy to the world and peace on earth!
HI Aunt Mary,
It was a very special Christmas eve…you need to come here one day.
Love to all the family!
Kat and the gang:)
Hi Katina Oliver Mikhaila and Zoe
What an amazing experience. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and hope to see you soon in the new year in Australia
Lots of love Nick and Maria Zurcas and family
And Patsy and Sam sfetcopoulos
Hi Maria,
So nice to hear from you and the rest of the family! We hope your Christmas is a fabulous one! We are looking forward to seeing you all in Oz in April/May….
Lots of love,
Kat, Oliver, Mik and Zoe:)
MERRY CHRISTMAS to every one. May the ensuing year bring peace, plenty and prosperity to all.
With best wishes
RAVI PULIANI
Hi Ravi,
We totally agree – peace, prosperity and good health are so needed around the world.
Warm wishes for a great holiday season!
Kat and the gang:)
What a great idea going to Bethlehem for Christmas. Have a wonderful Holiday Season and New Year!
PS: Spent Xmas in Cuba — just back in Canada!
HI Terry,
Happy Holidays – sounds like you had a great time too! Any Americans there yet?
Cheers and Happy New Year!
Oliver, Kat and the gang:)