Bethlehem - the birthplace of Christ

The essay was written at the beginning of the 20th century Bethlehem. Basilica of the Nativity Bethlehem, the home city of David and the birthplace of David's glorious descendant, Christ the Savior, is located on a hill (2704 feet above sea level) of two oblong hills (eastern and western), connected by a short ridge. In the south and north it is surrounded by valleys, and in the east and west by more gentle slopes. Bethlehem is just two hours south of Jerusalem. The surroundings of Bethlehem are very attractive, they have some imprint of comfort and joy. The very hills of Bethlehem are covered with rich vegetation and entire gardens of various trees - olives, vineyards, figs, etc. The hills and valleys of the surrounding area are covered with green gardens. When you admire the picturesque surroundings of Bethlehem, says one traveler, you involuntarily recall all the biblical events that once took place here. Here in the distance you can see a small quadrangular building covered with a dome: this is the grave of the beautiful Rachel, the dearly beloved wife of the forefather Jacob; here she died, was mourned by him and buried near the road to Bethlehem (Gen. 35:16; 48:7). And here are the ruins of that Rama that the prophet mentions; predicting the slaughter of the innocent babies of Bethlehem: a voice is heard in Rama 1, a cry and a bitter sob; Rachel cries for her children and does not want to be comforted for her children, for they are not (Jer. 31:15). These are the fields in which poor Ruth gathered ears of corn behind the reapers to feed her elderly mother-in-law, whom she loved like a mother, for which the Lord rewarded her so that she became the wife of the honorable and wealthy resident of Bethlehem, Boaz, and the foremother of the Savior of the world. And down there, in the valleys of Bethlehem and along the surrounding fertile hills, rich in springs of sweet water, Ruth’s beautiful great-grandson, the young man David, was tending his father’s flocks; there he entered into battle with a lion and a bear, defending his flock, and there he played his wondrous psalms on the harp. In these same mountains, he subsequently hid more than once from Saul, when he pursued him everywhere, like a runaway slave or some villain. And one involuntarily remembers the touching, pleading words of the meek young man. addressed to the evil persecutor: why does my master persecute his servant? what did I do? what evil is in my hand? (1 Samuel 26:18). Here in Bethlehem the prophet Samuel found David and anointed him king for the first time, and later, when David became king in Israel, Bethlehem began to be called by the honorable name of the city of David. Right there in the fields of Bethlehem is the well of David, from which he, tormented by thirst, wanted to drink at a time when Bethlehem was occupied by the Philistines; then three of the brave men of his army, at the risk of their lives, made their way through the enemy camp and got water for their beloved leader; but the courageous king poured out this water “for the glory of the Lord” and said: God forbid me to do this! Isn't this the blood of people who walked with their own lives at risk? (2 Samuel 23:14–17). Then he completely defeated the enemies and took possession of Bethlehem. Further south behind the mountains are the famous Solomon's Ponds, from where this wise king built a water supply system to Jerusalem, which is still an amazing structure. 2 These are the biblical memories that come to life in the soul of a Christian at the sight of Bethlehem and its environs. But how weak and dim they are before the holy memory of the greatest event that illuminated humanity with a new light and created true greatness and glory for Bethlehem - the Nativity of Christ! The entire subsequent history of Bethlehem depends on its significance, namely as the birthplace of the Savior of the world here, as a place of Christian reverence and veneration. Already in the first centuries of Christianity, Bethlehem developed thanks to the travel here of pious pilgrims. In 830, Constantine the Great built a magnificent basilica in Bethlehem, and subsequently Justinian made reconstructions in it. Later monasteries and churches were built here, so that by 600 AD the city was known throughout the Christian world for its comparative prosperity. However, the destructive blows of history did not spare Bethlehem, like most places dear to the Christian heart in the Holy Land. In the 12th century. When the crusaders approached, the Arabs almost completely destroyed Bethlehem, which was again restored by the crusaders. In 1244, Bethlehem was devastated by the Kharezmians, and in 1489 it was almost completely destroyed. It was restored only in recent centuries and became an almost exclusively Christian city. In 1831, Muslims were expelled from Bethlehem on the occasion of their uprising due to a new tax, and in 1834, as a result of their new uprising, by order of Ibrahim Pasha, the entire quarter that they had previously occupied was destroyed. Currently, Bethlehem has about 11 thousand inhabitants and almost all of them are Christians. The main occupation of the residents is agriculture and cattle breeding; in addition, they have been preparing various items for pilgrims for several centuries and are especially skilled in preparing various items from mother-of-pearl: crosses, images of biblical events, etc. However, these things are also made from coral and from a stone called “pig” or “stinking stone” (a combination of lime and mountain resin; this stone is mined from the Dead Sea). 3 The entire small city, divided into eight quarters, is decorated with buildings and buildings of Christians of various faiths. Catholics have here a large Franciscan monastery with a hospice house, a beautiful new church on the mountainside behind the old large church, a school for boys and a school for girls - the Sisters of St. Joseph, orphanage, pharmacy. In the southeast of the city there is a Catholic Carmelite monastery, built on the model of the castle of St. Angela in Rome, also with a church and seminary. In the northeast, on Hebron Street, is the Sisters of Charity Hospital. The Armenians also have a large monastery in Bethlehem, adjacent to a Greek monastery and a Franciscan monastery - all of this together forms a large fortress-like building on the southeastern edge of the city. There are few Protestants in the city (up to 60 people). But the main shrine of the city, and so dear to every Christian, is the church and cave of the Nativity of Christ, located at the end of the city on the eastern hill, not far from the steep descent into the valley. The Church of the Nativity of Christ is remarkable not only because it was built on the birthplace of the Savior of the world, but also because of the antiquity of its main structures. It is known that Constantine the Great already erected a basilica on the site of the cave in which Christ was born. One might think that this ancient basilica in its general and basic form is the present building, of course, with those changes and, so to speak, wrinkles that time and history have put on it. In any case, this assumption is confirmed both in the unity of the general style of the current building and in the absence of a special character characteristic of more recent times. Even if we assume that the Church of the Nativity was significantly restored by Justinian (527–565), then even in this case this building provides an example of ancient Christian art. Of course, in subsequent centuries the church underwent corrections and changes, but they were not significant. So in the 12th century. the walls of the church were decorated with mosaics on a golden field by order of the Byzantine emperor. Manuel Komnenos (1148 – 1180); the church itself was then covered with tin. In the 15th century (in 1482), due to damage to the roof, repair work was required, which was carried out at the expense of Western sovereigns (Edward IV of England and Philip of Burgundy). At the end of the 17th century. The Turks removed lead from the roof of the church and poured it into bullets, and almost all of the mosaic of Manuel Komnenos had crumbled even earlier. The Church of the Nativity of Christ is located in front of a large stone-paved square; in front of the main entrance to the church from the west, traces of the ancient courtyard (atrium) of the original basilica are still visible. Of the three doors that originally led into the vestibule of the church, there is a middle door that forms the present main entrance; but it was laid down a long time ago, and only a low door was left for access to the church. The vestibule of the church, which occupies the width of the average ship of the building, is dark and divided into several parts by walls. Three doors formerly led from the vestibule into the church, but two of them were walled up, and only the middle one was left. The interior of the church amazes with its majestic simplicity. It has the shape of a majestic hall, divided by four rows of columns of red marble (solid) with white veins (11 columns in each row; column height 6 m) into five longitudinal ships; Moreover, the middle ship with its width (10, 40 m) is twice or even more than the side ones on one side and the other; side ships and below average. In terms of their structure, the columns of the church are not devoid of significant beauty and originality: their base rests on a quadrangular slab; their capitals look Corinthian, but the style is somewhat transformed; at the top they have small crosses carved deep. Here and there on the walls of the church you can see the remains of a mosaic by Michael Komnenos; in addition, there is an image of the (seven) last ancestors of St. Joseph (half-figures), the most important Ecumenical and Local Councils, above - a group of decorations from branches with leaves, faces of angels on vaults, etc. This part of the church is separated by a blank wall from the third part of the church, in which the church itself is located above the cave of the Nativity of Christ. There are three doors leading into this part of the church. It represents the actual continuation of the middle ship, crossed by the transverse one. Both of these ships form the shape of a Latin cross; at the four corners of their intersection there are four pilasters. In the apse of the main middle ship there is a Greek altar and throne, separated from the western part of the church by a small pulpit and iconostasis. The remains of mosaics on the walls of this part of the church depict various events from the life of Christ: in the southern apse there is a very unique image of the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem; in the northern apse there is an image of the appearance of the risen Savior to the apostles together with Thomas; the apostles do not have lights (halos); the third picture represents a picture of the Ascension of Christ: the apostles are also without radiance; among the apostles is the Blessed Virgin; The top part of the picture is missing. Altar of the Nativity and Cave of the Nativity Two staircases from this part of the church lead down to the Cave of the Nativity. These stairs are located on the right and left sides of the solea of ​​the Orthodox altar; Currently, the right (south) staircase belongs to the Orthodox, and the left (north) to the Catholics. The very cave of the Nativity of Christ, located under the Orthodox altar, has an oblong appearance: its length is 12 m 40 cm, width – 3 m 90 cm and height – 3 m. The entire cave is illuminated by 32 lamps. Its floor is covered with marble slabs, as are the walls. In the eastern niche there is a throne, and above the throne there is a silver star with an inscription on the ground in Latin: Нiс de Virgine Maria Iesus Christus natus est (Here Christ was born of the Virgin Mary). Without awe and spiritual delight one cannot read this inscription, which speaks so much to the heart and mind of a Christian! Around this niche there are 15 lamps burning, of which 6 belong to the Greeks, 5 to the Armenians and 4 to the Catholics. No matter how brightly these lamps burn, how feeble and feeble their light reminds us of the ever-present light, the light of the world that once shone here! Almost opposite the cave there are three steps along which they descend into the chapel of the manger, located in a special cave. This manger itself is made of marble: the bottom is of white marble, and the side walls are of brown marble; in the manger lies a wax image of the infant Christ. Here in the west is the Latin throne of the adoration of the Magi with a (later) depiction of this event. Not far from this cave from the southwestern corner of the church of St. Catherine is led by a staircase to the southern parts of the cave, first to the so-called Chapel of Innocent Infants, where, according to a late legend of the 15th century, Herod ordered the death of several babies hidden here by their mothers. Five steps up lead to the chapel of St. Joseph, erected in 1621 on the site where St. Joseph received orders from an angel to flee to Egypt with the baby Christ. In addition to all this, the coffin of the blessed one, located in special caves, is highly revered by Christians, especially Catholics. Jerome (father of the 4th century), the coffin and throne of the presbyter Eusebius of Cremona, the coffins of the disciples of the blessed. Jerome Pavla and her daughter Eustochia and, finally, the cell where this saint. Jerome spent 36 years of peaceful life in his labors translating the books of St. Scriptures in Latin (Vulgate) and other works for the benefit of the Church. There is also a so-called milk cave, where it is as if drops of milk fell to the ground from the breast of the Mother of God; there is a valley of shepherds and a village of shepherds - Beth Sagur, where the shepherds were from, who were honored to be the first to receive news from the celestials about the birth of the Savior of the world. 4 Everything in this holy place is covered in the spirit of the great event - the birth of Christ, everything here lifts the Christian’s thought to the Divine Infant, everything encourages us to bow the knee of our hearts before the greatness of the ineffable mercy of the Son of God! Ramah is a small town of the tribe of Benjamin (1 Josh. 18:25) north of Jerusalem. One of the recent travelers describes these Solomon's Ponds this way. “Three huge ponds go one after another along the very bottom of the valley. The noise of water was heard nearby, similar to that which occurs from the wheels of a water mill during its operation... The ponds themselves are located along the bottom of the valley at almost the same distance from each other (approx. 23 fathoms), moreover, so that each subsequent one lies 6 meters lower than the previous one (8.4 arsh.). Each pond individually looks like a huge reservoir filled with water: the length of each of them is soot. 50 is too much, soot width. 30, a. depth from 2 to 6 fathoms. They are mostly carved into rocks, and partly lined with cut stone and reinforced inside with buttresses; to the east, each pond is supported by a strong transverse wall. From these ponds water was carried through underground canals over several dozen miles in Jerusalem; These canals or water pipes go in two different directions and are connected only in the valley of the sons of Ginnom at the bridge, near Jerusalem. From here the water flows through one common channel along the southern slope of the western hill of Jerusalem (Zion) to Mount Moriah: “They say that nowadays water is obtained there from this source” (P. Petrushevsky. Vacation trip to the Holy Land. Kiev 1904, rep. 151 - 152). E. Baedeker, Palestlne et.Syrie Ed. 1612, p. etc. Not far from Bethlehem (about two miles) there is a poor chapel called “Angela to the Shepherds.” According to legend, it was built on the spot where the angel appeared to the shepherds. The present chapel is perhaps the remnant of the church built here by St. Elena. It is remarkable that in ancient times there stood the tower of Migdal-Eder - “Tower of the Flocks” (Gen. 35:21), located near the city, on the road to Jerusalem. Blzh. Jerome says that “her very name was prophetically foreshadowed by the shepherds who were at the birth of the Lord” (De loс. hebr.). It can be assumed that the shepherds who tended their flocks here were not ordinary shepherds, since they tended herds of sacrificial animals” (Edersheim, p. 238). You might be interested in: