O little town of Bethlehem is much in world news every Christmas Eve.
source: Library of Congress
This photograph of the Church of the Nativity (first built in 339) is from about 100 years ago.
You can click to enlarge.
It is from the American Colony photo collection that was recently donated to the Library of Congress.
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See also Christmas in the Holy Land 100 Years Ago with more historical photos of the church and Manger Square, at the wonderful blog Israel's History--A Picture A Day.
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Merry Christmas to all of you out there who celebrate the holiday!
Good tidings of Christmas from the place where it all began.
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UPDATE: Midnight Mass just now ended. This year it was televised from the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth (not from Bethlehem, as I had wrongly assumed).
Did you watch it on TV?
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(Added to OurWorld Tuesday meme.)
That is really cool! Thanks for sharing the link and for the Christmas wishes and I wish you the same.
ReplyDeleteGreat resources, Dina. Thanks
ReplyDeleteAloha from Honolulu,
Comfort Spiral
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Please have you all wonderful celebrations.
ReplyDeleteI remember standing on that plaza Christmas Eve 1975, only I think they had paved over the cemetery and built on top of it by then. Thanks for the link....I'll see what's going on there an hour into it....it's 3:00 here now.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing that photo, Dina, and for your photos as well. I know how the historic shot to the modern view, thanks to you.
ReplyDeleteBuilt in 339 !!!That sure is old. Thank you for the Christmas tidings.
ReplyDeleteAnd Merry Christmas to you, Dina. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely shot!
ReplyDeleteWishing you all the best.
Neat photo. Merry Christmas :)
ReplyDeleteIt is not easy to forget what happened there ten years ago. Better to focus on more recent or ancient times...
ReplyDeleteFantastic photos.. just before the carnage of World War One. We are fortunate that they still survive.
ReplyDeletePeace to all of us!!!
I missed this.. But I am glad I visited the church last year.
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas:-)
We attended a candlelight service yesterday afternoon. Bethlehem would have been a better choice. Amazing images you share today.
ReplyDeletePeace to all.
Dina, thank you that you came up on my blog and you left entry. This makes it easier I can go back to your blog. I'll come back to you, you have a lot of beautiful and interesting information. My dream is to someday odiwedzic your pages. Shalom!
ReplyDeleteps. The synagogue, which is in my town again soon to become a House of Prayer for the Jews.