No 3

(Bethlehem)

The city of David lies 5 miles south of Jerusalem. Here Rachel was buried, Ruth gleaned in Boaz’s field, David was anointed to be king, Jesus Christ was born in a manger and wise men from the East came seeking the Savior. Rachel’s tomb is one of the most venerated and most authentic sites in the Holy Land; Jews, Christians and Mohammedans consider it to be a very important part of their religious history. The Church of the Nativity was built in 328 AD by Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine over the traditional site of Christ’s birthplace. There is a sign in the chapel in Latin that reads “Here Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary”. They even constructed a manger to complete the setting a described in Luke 2:7 – “And she brought forth her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn”. The spot where they believe the Nativity occurred is actually a cave-like chapel that measures 12 x 40 feet and is beneath the choir area of the church built by Helena and Constantine. Modern-day Bethelem is under Palestinian control and pilgrimages are done there every year.