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His first stop was the Basilica of the Nativity, located in Bethlehem. This is the oldest church in existence. |
Inside the Basilica is the entrance to the Grotto of the Nativity, site of Christ's Birth. |
Inside the Grotto of the Nativity - the actual Birth site. |
Inside the Grotto, site of where the Three Wise Men presented their offerings of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. |
Inside the Basilica is also the site of the cave where St. Jerome worked on translating the Old Testament in 384AD. This is the site where he worked. |
Bethlehem is in the Palestinian State - life is much more traditional, and the streets remain at their original widths. |
For those of you who don't remember your history, Jerusalem fell to Pompei in 63BC, and Herod rebuilt the city in the Roman way (GOTTA have those pillars!). Historical excavations are now taking place to unearth these. |
The Old City has four quarters and three Wailing Walls - this is the Jewish Wailing Wall in the Jewish Quarter. The other Quarters are the Christian, Armenian, and Moslem. |
In the Christian Quarter lies the Church of the Holy Sepulcher - built over MANY of the more religious icons: the crucifixion, the Cleansing of Christ, Christ's Tomb, and the Tomb of the Virgin Mary. |
Site of where the cross of Christ was mounted in the rock. |
A ceremony at the site of the Cleansing of Christ, after he was removed from the cross. |
A shrine has been built over the Tomb of Christ. |
Inside the Shrine, standing at the entrance to the Tomb of Christ. |
At the Tomb of Christ. |
Entrance to the Tomb of the Virgin Mary. |
This page last
modified on November 5, 2000