You know how when you live somewhere you don't rush to see your local special sites... Well it took us nearly a week of walking through Manger Square daily (at least) before we got around to going into the Church of the Nativity. Our schedules are Really full and the official Siraj tour was given for the people who arrived in July... Anyway, one afternoon after Arabic class I got out the guidebook (to make it official for B & P, who had never been.)
It always makes me sad that Christians fight over the birthplace of Jesus so that the Church of the Nativity is divided into areas: Here's the this Orthodox, here's the that Orthodox, here's the Armenian section, here's where the Anglicans go at Christmas etc.
But we timed our visit very well. We were down in the cave, the only visitors there at the moment, looking at the star where tradition holds the manger lay, when a verger asked us to step aside and suddenly in came a choir of monks and nuns and thurifer and chanting priest for a brief 3 PM prayer time. Then we went upstairs where the Armenians were doing the same, and next door where the Catholics (they insist they are Not Roman Catholics here, though they are part of the church which is obedient to the bishop of the Vatican.)
Although it is sad there are divisions, it was moving to experience the three various expressions of faith one after another -- and it is good to know that every day there are people taking time to celebrate the incarnation in Bethlehem.
Next we went to the Milk Grotto. The Milk Grotto has never been a place of interest for me before. The site is a church over a cave. The natural colour of stone in the vicinity is black. But at this site it is milk white. Tradition explains that when the holy family was escaping Herod's massacre, they hid in this cave for a while.When Mary was nursing Jesus a drop of milk fell and turned the cave white.
Again, our timing was serendipitous. A chanting/prayer time was in progress. The cave in the basement is an ancient tourist / pilgrimage spot. But beyond that space, upstairs, is a very modern church. It is filled with light from beautiful stained glass windows. As Payne & I were wondering about one of them, a gentleman came upt to us and proudly explained that it depicts the eclipse that took place on Good Friday.
He happily told us this is a living church, not just a site to remember the past, but also a place with an active faithful congregation. But he also remarked that sadly many Christians have moved away recently -- the building of the Wall was the proverbial straw on the camel's back. But there is a faithful remnant, and they need our prayers for this place which loves Jesus the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Or should I say imberrah, ilyom w bukra.
