Bethlehem Field Trip

On Monday 10/25/10, we accompanied students on their first foray into the West Bank.  (See Sept. '10 posts on West Bank & Separation Wall.]   Our bus avoided the Wall via a tunnel built for Israeli  settlements, per the Oslo Accord. 

We bypassed all Israeli checkpoints and directly entered the Bethlehem countryside.  It looks much like it did in the days of Jesus--even including a few old watch towers.  As you can see, the Christmas carol words "Far, far away on Judea's plains" should actually be "on Judea's hills."


Bethlehem's population now is about 70,000--about 10% Christian & 70% Muslim.  The town is far more vibrant than Bethany.  There is much new construction -- but also large Israeli settlements.

It has many steep hills, like Jerusalem.

There are still traces of the old ways, like this herd of goats & sheep near town.

Our first stop was at the Catholic Bethlehem University, founded in the 1880's.

It wraps around the appropriately-named Church of the Holy Child, built in 1907. 

 

There are many impressive murals and stained-glass windows (1950's) of Jesus.

Father Joe has been there over 30 years.  He always gives us a rousing welcome and isn't slowing down yet.





The university has about 3,000 students--70% Muslim & 30% Christian--all peacefully co-existing.  (Hebron U. and others on the West Bank are larger.) Israel does not allow Jews to enroll there.

After an overly long lecture by a Palestinian professor, a panel of articulate Bethlehem students--half Christian and half Muslim--described their academic lives and answered some spirited questions.  On our return visit on 3/7/11, we had a much larger panel of 12 students.

Our students enjoyed this interaction and asked many good questions.

 

Both times, our BYU students also had some great one-on-one conversations with Bethlehem University students on the beautiful campus.

The Center for Palestinian Heritage was a popular campus attraction in Oct. '10.

All day, we too enjoyed mingling and conversing with our terrific students.

Ready for some great Palestinian food, we lunched at the Shepherd's Valley Tent -- on 10/25/10, exactly 60 days before Christmas Day.  (See neon sign.)

On 3/7/11 we joined Carl & Melanie Harris and equally friendly students.










Bethlehem still has some picturesque architecture.

There are also some close, surrounding Israeli settlements -- like Gilo. 

Palestinian police now keep the peace better than during the last two Intifadas.

No visit to Bethlehem is complete without stopping at Manger Square.  (Church of the Nativity at the far end.  It is the oldest continuously operated  Christian church in the world.  By tradition, it covers the cave where Jesus was born -- perhaps while his parents lived there several months before their own house was finished.  Also, Joseph the stone mason may have helped to build the Temple of Herod in nearby Jerusalem!

The low doorway promoted humility and impaired the entry of camels and other animals.  Anciently, it was called "the eye of the needle" (Matt. 19:24).

Church of the Nativity was built in 514 AD, replacing one of 326 AD.  No other Byzantine church was spared by the Persians.  Some legends claim that a swarm of hornets drove off the invaders.  Others credit the 3 Persian magi then mounted outside the church.  On 10/25/10 it was filled with scaffolding, choking crowds & a 2-1/2 hour wait.

On 3/7/11, the scaffolding was gone -- and so was P.A. Prime Minister Abbas!

Now we could get a better view of the Byzantine furnishings within the three Christian churches sharing space inside--Catholic, Orthodox and Armenian.

Ancient mosaics date back to the 3rd century church, since crosses were disallowed when it was rebuilt.

Of course, the main attraction here is the ancient underground cave, where a large star marks the spot where Christ may have been born. 

Nearby is another room, supposedly where a stone manger for watering animals may have been the crib in which the newborn Jesus was laid, snugly wrapped in swaddling clothes to protect against the December (not April) cold.

Outside is a statue of St. Jerome.  In 384 AD he lived in this cave-like room and translated the 1st Bible into Latin--the "Vulgate" (for vulgar or common people).

There is also an altar and crypt devoted to the "Slaughter of the Innocents."









Just beyond this courtyard is the ornate Catholic chapel, still fully functional.

As the sun set behind this beautiful circular window, we sang Christmas carols with the students--receiving some warm nods from other visitors.

On 3/7/11, the "Milk Church" had a charming creche scene and some cave-like rooms. By tradition, Mary nursed her baby & spilled some mother's milk here.

After dark 10/31/10, Manger Square was still alive with lights & crowds. The nearby police station vigilantly averted any unrest.  But that night, "all was calm." 

On 10/31/10 we and the students did no "Halloweening" but instead commemorated the First Nativity early. We overlooked Bethlehem at dusk on Shepherd's "fields" (actually, hills).  Students now began to study the New Testament.  We arrived by separate van & climbed the hills late in the evening--just at sunset.  And what a setting!  In search of the students, we passed a large flock of sheep herded on foot and by horseback.  As lights in Bethlehem flickered on across the valley, church bells began to ring.  The evening star came out.  Meanwhile, 80 students pondered the scriptures and wrote in journals.   Their time of meditation was followed by instrumental and vocal numbers, then group caroling.  We left early to help host a concert at the JC.  But we took with us some more indelible memories, this time about Christmas.  [Also, students came again on 3/7/11 & on July 4th!]

[See Dec. '10"Holidays" post for Jerus. Branch caroling on Shepherd's hills & our return visit to Manger Square on Christmas Eve.  Also, see March "Herodian" post.]