Jesus Christ is perhaps the most famous person in history. Someone is sure of his divine origin, others believe that he was just one of the most spiritually advanced people of his time. According to the Gospels, Christ was born more than two thousand years ago on the Jewish land, where he later performed his miracles.
Birthplace of Christ
The authors and adherents of the Bible consider the birthplace of Jesus Christ to be the city of Bethlehem, located a few kilometers south of Jerusalem. One of the oldest cities in the world, Bethlehem was founded around the 17th century BC. At first, the Canaanites lived there, later the Jews.
Modern Bethlehem is predominantly inhabited by Palestinians, but the city's Christian community is one of the oldest in the world.
Scientists find it difficult to determine the exact date of Jesus' birth. Protestants and Catholics believe that Christ was born on December 25, and Orthodox Christians celebrate his birth on the night of January 6-7. Almost immediately after birth, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Egypt for a while. Jesus spent most of his life in Nazareth, located north of Jerusalem.
Mary, the mother of Christ, and her husband Joseph were residents of Nazareth, a small village in Galilee. These lands were conquered by the Romans in due time. And so the ruler of Rome, Augustus, once ordered to conduct a census of the population in the lands subordinate to him. Every Jew was ordered to come to his hometown and enroll there.
Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem, where all members of their family were assigned. The city was filled with people, so the pilgrims could not find a refuge in it. It was late afternoon when Joseph and Mary, who were expecting a baby, found a cave where local shepherds hid their livestock in stormy times. That night, in this cave, a child was born, who was destined to become the ruler of human thoughts for the next two millennia.
Modern Bethlehem
Today Bethlehem is a small town, which, however, occupies a special place on the world map. The city is spread on the slopes of low rocky hills near Jerusalem. There are always many pilgrims who want to see the birthplace of the Savior and worship holy places with their own eyes.
The birthday of Christ is celebrated in Bethlehem very splendidly and is considered one of the main holidays.
Olive trees, cypresses, date palms grow in the suburban fields. Some trees are so old that they could well have been silent witnesses of the birth of Jesus Christ. Under the scorching rays of the sun, as in those ancient times, herds of goats and sheep graze. This gives the local landscape a unique character that is well described in the Bible.
Historical research and archaeological excavations were actively carried out in these historical places at different times. In the vicinity of Bethlehem, researchers discovered the remains of religious buildings, objects of religious worship and household utensils of those peoples that lived on the land that was holy for every Christian many centuries ago. Locals love their city very much and are rightfully proud of its history. After all, it was here that the legend was born about who was destined to save humanity.
