The cave of the nativity has many rooms. The one at the right is one occupied by Saint Jerome not long after the church was built. It was Jerome that labored here for years to translate the bible from the original Hebrew and Greek to Latin. It is his Latin bible that the Catholic Church has used since that day.

Outside the church is a statue of Saint Jerome.

A little footnote on our trip home. We got into our car and as we were turning to go the way we came in, a large tour bus came lumbering down the street, blocking the narrow passage. No problem, we thought. We would just check the block.

A half-hour later, checking many blocks, we stopped at a small store and asked directions. A cab driver told us to follow him. He was going in our direction.