| Now
when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king,
behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where
is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in
the East, and have come to worship him." -
Matthew 2:1-2
The Basilica of the Nativity
is built above a cave believed to be the place where Jesus was born. It
is the oldest continuously used church in the world. The first church was
erected in 329 AD by Queen Helena, mother of Constantine. Later that century
,the great bible scholar Jerome settled in Bethlehem near the church, and
an important monastic community grew up around him. The Emperor Justinian
in the 6th century built a larger basilica, some 30 inches above the original
floor. When the Persians sacked many churches of the Holy Land in the 7th
century, they left this church intact because they found the Magi in familiar
dress in the mosaic on the facade. Also see | Bethlehem
| Beit Jala | |
