Israel to Bethlehem with Church of the Nativity footage

Bethlehem is a large city today, with a population of some 100,000 people in its immediate vicinity. At the heart of Bethlehem is a church that was first constructed 17 centuries ago. While it has been rebuilt and remodeled several times, this basilica is built in the shape of a cross and stands over a grotto that is the traditional site of Jesus’ birth. The town had a few hundred people living in it when Jesus was born, and it’s likely the location is correct. Had we seen the location before the church was built, we would have seen one of the many natural caves that dot the landscape throughout the Judean mountains. The church is still active, led by Catholic, Armenian and Greek Orthodox priests. Inside the grotto is a silver star with 14 rays which marks the spot where Jesus was born. The grotto is so heavily decorated, it’s difficult to see that before the church was built, the location was a simple cave. Caves were used as homes or places to keep animals as recently as the early 1900s. Some may still be in use for residential purposes today. The same was true in Nazareth, where Mary had grown up. Giving birth in such an environment would not have seemed as unusual as it would for people today.