Church of the Nativity - Bethlehem Part 1

In front of the church.  The door is small so as to keep attack from men on horseback out.  You can see a pointed outline arch above the door that was filled in.  It is from the Crusades.  The larger lintel above that was the original opening and was also filled in.  This is the oldest church in the world, built in 380 AD.  The Persians destroyed everything in 614 AD except this church because they saw the 3 Magi (3 Kings) on it and thought it was important to Persia.  So they spared it.  Jesus' nativity grotto is here... Where Mary gave birth and laid him in the manger.

This church is run by Greek Orthodox so has that look inside with the lanterns and ornate altar.

Lanterns

This is a side chapel built later.  It's where we had our mass.

It was a Franciscan chapel

St Catherine of Sienna - woot woot!

St Jerome spent a lot of time here and these were his steps leading from his area below which is now the chapel of St Jerome.  It was unfortunately closed for renovation.