Bethlehem — known in Hebrew as Beit Lechem (“House of Bread”) — is an ancient city mentioned in the Bible as early as the time of Abraham.
Located near Jerusalem, Bethlehem is considered the second holiest city for Christians after Jerusalem itself. Here stands one of the oldest churches in the Holy Land — the Church of the Nativity, built in the 4th century over the traditional site of the birth of Jesus Christ.
It is the only church in the region that has remained continuously preserved throughout many centuries without complete destruction. Among the church’s main holy sites are:
- the Grotto of the Nativity with the famous “Star of Bethlehem” marking the traditional birthplace of the infant Jesus,
- the cave of Saint Jerome,
- and the miraculous icon of the Bethlehem Mother of God.
Near the Church of the Nativity is the chapel of the miraculous Milk Grotto, traditionally believed to be the cave where the Holy Family hid from King Herod’s soldiers during the Massacre of the Innocents.
According to tradition, the Virgin Mary nursed the infant Jesus there, and drops of milk fell onto the floor and walls of the cave, turning the stone white. A miraculous icon known as the “Nursing Madonna” is preserved here, and pilgrims pray before it for fertility, motherhood, and healthy childbirth.
It is also believed that powder from the white stone walls of the Milk Grotto helps women experience the joy of motherhood.
