Day 3 - Bethlehem
At the end of the open area of the church are steps leading down into a cave. This cave is the birth spot of Jesus. The spot is decorated in a way that makes the cave a bit more inviting that it may have been two thousand years ago.
Our guide pointed out that many people were housed in this cave, a rather common thing back then. However, they believe that Mary and Joseph stayed in the front of the cave, some distance from the others. There were two reasons for this. One was that
Day 1 Jerusalem
Day 2 Jerusalem
Day 3 Jerusalem
Day 4 Dead Sea
Day 5 Petra
Day 6 Gaza
Mary was with child and the other was that, since she was only recently wed, they would rather stay away form questioning people.
(Right) A closer look at the spot at the front of the cave where Jesus was born.
