Bethlehem St. Catherine church cave of Jerome 03

The Church of St. Catherine is adjacent to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Both churches are built above caves, though the cave in the Church of the Nativity is so heavily decorated, it’s easy to miss that reality. The Church of St. Catherine has a much larger cave, one that was used by St. Jerome in the fourth century to translate the Bible into Latin. The complex of caves at the Church of St. Catherine is connected to the small cave below the Church of the Nativity. These caves help us better visualize the humble environment in which Jesus was born.