Located in the traditional birthplace of Jesus, on this day in 339, the Church of the Nativity was dedicated. The original church was commissioned by Constantine the Great a short time after his mother Helena’s visit to Jerusalem and Bethlehem between 325-326, and is the oldest site continuously used as a place of worship for Christians. During the Samaritan revolts in the sixth century, the original church was destroyed by fire. Byzantine Emperor Justinian rebuilt the church, and it has remained largely unchanged since then. Over the centuries, numerous repairs and additions have expanded the church, and the complex now includes three different monasteries—Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, and Roman Catholic. Bethlehem is located in the Palestinian Territories and the church is considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Church of the Nativity
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