Cathal BarryIt’s every believer’s dream to visit the Holy Land, home to the three great monotheistic religions. It was here that Jesus was born, began his ministry, performed his miracles and ultimately suffered death on a cross. No other single person throughout history has so decisively affected the lives of so many people. Indeed, the events of his life still resonate today.
Where better to begin my pilgrimage than the town of Bethlehem. My first stop, appropriately enough, was the Church of the Nativity, where it all began.
Luke 2:7 describes how Mary “gave birth to her firstborn, a son… and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them”. Over this cave-like manger arose the great Basilica of the Nativity.
From the very beginning of the Christian era, this was a sacred grotto above which, in the fourth century, Emperor Constantine constructed a large church, first piercing a hole in the cave roof for the faithful to gaze down upon the holy spot, then erecting an octagonal altar above it.
Around 200 years later, Emperor Justinian rebuilt the basilica much as it is seen today and put up a mosaic pediment of the magi in Persian dress. It is claimed that because of this image, the ravaging Persian troops of 614 spared the Church of the Nativity from destruction.
Today, throngs of pilgrims flock to the Church of the Nativity to visit the cave where Jesus’ birth took place and the manger stood beneath the huge basilica.
Powerful people
It stuck me as I queued that a world that worships the celebrity above all others often places powerful people on pedestals; here, Christ’s followers come to pay homage to him at the holiest of sites.
To kneel and kiss the simple silver star that marks the spot where Jesus was born was an overwhelming experience.
For me, it put fresh focus on the reality that God’s own son made his appearance on earth in the lowliest of circumstances. This humblest of births conveys a powerful message to creation.
Instead of arriving as a pampered and privileged ruler, Jesus was born in humility, as one of us. He is approachable, accessible and available to all.
Perhaps this is what Pope Francis had in his mind on the night of his election when, in his first act as Pontiff, before imparting his apostolic blessing upon the faithful, he bowed before the crowd gathered in St Peter’s Square, and asked them to pray for him.
This, and so much more, is evident in the cave beneath the Church of the Nativity, where the infant Jesus was born, “wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger”.
Christmas on the treble
Now that Halloween is over, its surely safe to mention the C word: Christmas.
Midnight Mass, which is televised live around the world from Bethlehem each year, is a moving and beautiful spectacle.
The residents of Bethlehem, however, don’t just settle for one Christmas – they celebrate three.
While the Catholic Church celebrates Christmas on December 25, the Greek Orthodox Church keeps Christmas according to the Gregorian calendar on January 7, and the Armenians observe January 19.
The Greek Orthodox and the Armenians share the basilica at the Church of the Nativity, while the Catholics use the adjoining Church of St Catherine. All three share the grotto where, according to the Bible, Jesus was born.
House of bread
No book can compare to the Bible as a guide to the history and geography of the Holy Land.
The little town of Bethlehem, which in Hebrew means ‘house of bread’, has many biblical references which reflect a tranquil and pastoral existence.
It is noteworthy that Bethlehem, the house of bread, would ultimately serve as the birthplace of Christ, the Bread of Life.
It is also noteworthy that Bethlehem is often referred to in the Old Testament as Ephratah, which means fruitfulness.
What better name could possibly have been attributed to such a place? The place that the infant Jesus was born, “wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger”.