The Church of the Nativity is the most important landmark in Bethlehem and marks the site where the nativity took place.

Read the Bible- Luke 2:4-7

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Inside The Church of the Nativity

The ornamentation, icons and lamps in the front of the church suggest, the basilica is now almost a Greek Orthodox place of worship. The open ceiling shows the exposed wooden rafters.

The red limestone pillars were quarried locally. Many are adorned with Crusader paintings of saints.

A section of the mosaic floor from the original 4th-century church (Constantine’s basilica) can still be seen through an opening of the floor.

You will enter through the Door of Humility at the church entrance. This small and low doorway was designed so that looters could not get their carts into the church. It also means that all those that enter need to bow down as they cross the threshold.

Going out

Due to a huge crowd of visitors that day, we did not get to explore the Grotto of the Nativity, where you'd see the 14 points Star which is believed to be the exact place where Christ was born. We were told it could be a two-hour wait in line to see it. So, our tour guide was not interested to do that. 😢

Here are photos from our tour guide.