Since at least the 2nd century AD people have believed that the place where the Church of the Nativity , Bethlehem, now stands is where Jesus was born. One particular cave, over which the first Church was built, is traditionally believed to be the Birthplace itself.
The birthplace of Jesus Christ is only a bus or taxi ride away from the Old City of Jerusalem within the West Bank. Lots of tourists walk from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, but these days you have to walk on a big road. You cannot just walk across the fields because you have to pass through a military checkpoint.
ém]; Latin: Bethleem; initially named after Canaanite fertility god Lehem) is a city in the central West Bank, Palestine, about 10 km (6.2 miles) south of Jerusalem. Its population is approximately 25,000 , and it is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate.
In 335 A.D, Emperor Constantine approved the cave that was the traditional site of Jesus ‘ birth to be turned into a holy site, and is known as the “Church of the Nativity.” The people of Bethlehem were known to keep their flocks in an adjoining cave and there is some archaeological evidence for animals being housed in
Jesus ‘ name in Hebrew was “Yeshua” which translates to English as Joshua.
Located in the beautiful Lower Galilee region of Israel, and famed for being the city where Jesus had lived and grown up, today Nazareth is the largest Arab city in Israel, and one of the largest cities in northern Israel. The majority of the people in Nazareth are Muslim or Christian.
Jesus | |
---|---|
Born | c. 4 BC Kingdom of Judea, Roman Empire |
Died | AD 30 or 33 (aged 33–36) Jerusalem, Judea, Roman Empire |
Cause of death | Crucifixion |
Parent(s) | Mary Joseph |
The birth of Christ may be the most famous Bible story of all, reprised annually in nativity scenes across the world each Christmas: Jesus was born in a stable , because there was no room at the inn.
The cities of Bethlehem , Ramallah and Jericho see large numbers of tourists including on organised tours and there have been no recent reports of any serious incidents involving foreigners. It is advised you exercise a high degree of caution in East Jerusalem and on the following routes in the West Bank: Route No.
Thousands of Christian pilgrims streamed into Bethlehem Monday night to celebrate the birth of Jesus . It’s the major event of the year in that West Bank town. But Israeli archaeologists now say there is strong evidence that Christ was born in a different Bethlehem , a small village in the Galilee .
In Luke, Joseph and Mary’s trip to Bethlehem is undertaken in order to satisfy an imperial command that all individuals return to their ancestral towns “that all the world should be taxed.” Since Mary was pregnant with Jesus at the time the command had to be carried out, this explains why Jesus was born in the town of
Summary of Jesus’ life He was born to Joseph and Mary sometime between 6 bce and shortly before the death of Herod the Great (Matthew 2; Luke 1:5) in 4 bce. According to Matthew and Luke, however, Joseph was only legally his father.
Authenticity. A legend, which was first mentioned by Epiphanius of Salamis in the 4th century AD, purported that Mary may have spent the last years of her life in Ephesus, Turkey . The Ephesians derived it from John’s presence in the city, and Jesus’ instructions to John to take care of Mary after his death.
The date of birth of Jesus is not stated in the gospels or in any historical reference, but most theologians assume a year of birth between 6 and 4 BC.