Why manger? Vetelev Alexander, archpriest, professor of medical science Bethlehem manger An excerpt characterizing the manger of Christ.

MUNICIPAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION

ADDITIONAL CHILDREN'S EDUCATION

HOUSE OF CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH

Creative project

Christmas composition:

"Baby Jesus Christ in the manger"

using the technique of modeling from salt dough.

Developed by: Makhno Anastasia

Head: teacher d/o Nazarova T.N.

Millerovo

2014

Objective of the project :

Develop and make a Christmas composition “Infant Christ in a manger” using the salt dough modeling technique.

Expected result.

Christmas composition “Infant Christ in the manger”

Historical information.

Once upon a time, in the hoary old days, people began to make bread cakes from flour and water and burn them on hot stones. Not only bread, but also decorative items were baked from the dough.

Making dough from flour, salt and water is an ancient custom and was used to make figures from folk tales and for religious purposes.

Although dough crafts are an ancient tradition, they have a place in the modern world, because now everything that is environmentally friendly and made with one’s own hands is valued.

Salt dough has become a very popular modeling material in recent years. Working with him is a pleasure and joy.

In Rus', figurines made from this material were given as gifts for the New Year as a sign of prosperity, fertility, and satiety. Even in those days when in Rus' the New Year was celebrated on September 1, and at the same time weddings were celebrated, it was customary to give figurines made of salt dough. And they were decorated with paintings characteristic of the area where our ancestors lived. It was believed that any craft made from salt dough found in the house is a symbol of wealth and prosperity in the family. And bread and salt will always be on the table. That is why these figures were often called very simply - “hospitable people”. The revival of this old folk tradition has expanded the use of salt dough. It turned out to be an excellent material for children's creativity.

The Christmas composition will be a wonderful gift for friends and relatives, as well as a decoration for the home.

Material:

* Extra salt

* flour

* the water is cold

* stacks

* paint brush

* rolling pin

* paints

Salt dough recipe:1 cup salt, 1 cup flour and

1/3 cup cold water.

Project stages.

1. Knead the dough, put it in a plastic bag so that it does not dry out.

2. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin. The thickness of the dough is 2-3 cm.

3. Cut out a rectangle 5*10cm.

4. Cut strips 2 cm wide to create sides for the manger around the entire perimeter of the rectangle.

5. Make the baby’s torso and head.

6. Roll out a square, 0.5 cm thick and 5*5 cm in size (baby blanket).

7. Combine the body parts and wrap them into an envelope-shaped square.

8. We put the child in the nursery.

9. Use a small piece to make the child’s nose.

10. Make the mouth and eyes in a stack.

11. Air dry the craft for 2 weeks.

12. Paint the craft with paints and cover it with acrylic varnish.

13. The composition “Infant Christ in the manger” is ready.

Used Books:

The Basilica of the Nativity is a Christian church in Bethlehem, built over the birthplace of Jesus Christ. It is one of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world. Under the pulpit of the basilica is the greatest Christian shrine - the Cave of the Nativity. The birthplace of Christ is located in the eastern part of the cave and is marked with a silver star.

Brief history of the basilica Nativity of Christ

The Basilica of the Nativity was founded on the orders of Emperor Constantine the Great by the holy Empress Helena during her pilgrimage to the Holy Land in the mid-330s. In general, the Bethlehem Basilica of Constantine repeated the general features of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

The basilica was destroyed by fire in 529 during the Samaria uprising. During the reign of Emperor Justinian it was restored. In 1009, during the conquest of the city by Caliph Al-Hakim, the basilica was not damaged, since Muslims revered the birthplace of Christ (the southern part of the temple was separated by them and was used as a mosque).

During the Byzantine period, the basilica was a church-tomb and did not have an episcopal see. During the period of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the basilica became the see of the Latin bishop of Bethlehem and Ascalon. In the 12th century, the basilica was surrounded by monastery buildings, as well as a defensive wall with rectangular projecting towers.

After the conquest of Bethlehem by the army of Salah ad-Din (1187), the Latin bishop and clergy were expelled from the basilica. In 1263, one of the monasteries adjacent to the temple was destroyed. In 1266, Sultan Baybars I exported marble and columns to Cairo.

Since 1347, the Catholic Church in the basilica has been represented by the Franciscan Order, who currently own the throne in the chapel of the Manger of the Cave of the Nativity. Since 1244, the Greek Church has owned the main altar of the basilica and the friary at its southern wall.

An earthquake in 1834 and a fire in 1869 caused damage to the interior of the Cave of the Nativity and necessitated renovation work. Donations (bells, chandeliers) were repeatedly sent to the temple from the Russian emperors Alexander III and Nicholas II.

Territory b aziliki Nativity of Christ

1. Nativity Square;
2. Gate of humility;
3. Nave;
4. High altar and Greek Orthodox basilica (iconostasis);
5. Stairs to the cave;
6. Caves of the Nativity of Christ;
7. Franciscan monastery;
8. Franciscan Court;
9. Cave of St. Jerome;
10. Church of St. Catherine;
11. Greek Orthodox monastery;
12. Greek Orthodox court;
13. Armenian courtyard;
14. Armenian monastery.

Basilica plan

Plan of the underground part of the basilica (engraving based on a drawing by George Sandys of the 1610s)

A. Altar of the Nativity
B. Nursery
C. Altar of the Magi
D. Northern and southern steps leading from the temple
E. Entrance (door)
F. Chapel of the Innocents
G. Tomb of Eusebia
H. Tomb of St. Jerome
I. Tomb of Paul and Euphrosyne
K. Cell St. Jerome
L. Ascent to the Church of St. Catherine
M. Church of St. Catherine
N. Chapels

Its construction began in 326 AD. The current church was built during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian. In 529, the basilica was badly damaged during the Samaritan uprising. The Patriarch of Jerusalem sent Saint Sava to help Justinian, and the architect sent by the emperor demolished the church and built the one that still stands today.

Today the church is under the control of three Christian denominations - the Armenian Church, the Roman Catholic Church and the Greek Orthodox Church.

The powerful outer walls of the church, similar to the walls of a fortress, speak of its long and difficult history. For centuries, the temple was one of those places for which people constantly fought. It was conquered and defended by a variety of armies, including Muslims and Crusaders. The facade of the Basilica of the Nativity is surrounded by the high walls of three monasteries: Franciscan on the northeast side, Greek Orthodox and Armenian Orthodox on the southeast.

Main building of the basilica

The main building of the basilica was erected by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. It is designed in the form of a typical Roman basilica, with five rows (formed by Corinthian columns) and an apse in the eastern part, where the sanctuary is located. The basilica has a rectangular shape, its length is 53.9 meters, the nave is 26.2 meters wide, and the transept is 35.82 meters. Entering the church, you can see four rows of columns - 44 in total - 6 meters high, made of red stone.

The Manger Square, a large paved courtyard in front of the basilica, is where residents gather on Christmas Eve to sing carols in anticipation of the midnight service.

The basilica can be entered through a very low door called the “door of humility.” This is a very small rectangular entrance, created during the Ottoman Empire to prevent looters from bringing carts into the church, and to ensure that even the most respectable and important visitors would dismount to get inside. The door opening was noticeably reduced in size compared to the size of the previous door, the arch of which can still be seen at the top.

View through the Door of Humility

Security room - the first room in the basilica

Columns of the basilica

On thirty of the 44 columns you can see Crusader paintings of saints, the Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus, although due to time and lighting conditions they are quite difficult to see.

The columns are made of pink polished limestone, most of them have been standing since the 4th century, from the time of the Constantinian Basilica.

And this is an ancient baptismal font.

One of the columns has five cross-shaped holes. The legend says that bees flew out of this column and bit the wicked who were about to violate the temple.

And on this column (the Greek part of the temple), at the top, you can see the Image of the Savior, which has an amazing feature - He either opens or closes his eyes.

The wide nave remains from the time of Justinian, and the roof dates back to the 15th century and was restored in the 19th century. Now this roof is rotten, which threatens the integrity of the entire building. Some of the beams have been preserved since the 15th century, and holes in the wood allow dirty water to flow directly onto the priceless frescoes and mosaics. This problem only worsened over the years, but the clergy of the Greek and Armenian Orthodox churches, as well as the Franciscan order of the Roman Catholic Church, clashed with each other for many decades and could not come to a common plan of action.

During the excavations, the floor of the basilica was opened, and underneath it was discovered the floor of the first temple from the time of Queen Helena. The Byzantine mosaic floor is perfectly preserved...

Fragments of 12th-century mosaics have been preserved in the upper part of some walls.

The Armenian Church owns the northern transept and the altar located there. They also sometimes use the Greek Orthodox Church's altar and caves. On the north side of the altar there is an Armenian altar and the Three Wise Men, and in the north apse there is also an Armenian altar of the Virgin Mary.

The Armenian throne in the northern part of the basilica.

The iconostasis separates the nave from the sanctuary of the church.

The main building of the basilica, including the naves, rows, katholikon (choir and sanctuary), south transept and Altar of the Nativity are under the ownership of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Greek (southern) part of the temple.

In the Greek part there is a throne for the Patriarch.

The Bethlehem Icon of the Mother of God is also available for veneration in the Greek part of the temple. Most of the icons we know depict the Blessed Virgin Mary concentrated, immersed in prayer, worried, sad... And this is the only image where the Blessed Virgin Mary is depicted smiling, because it was here, in Bethlehem, that She was happy.

The entrance to the caves under the church, which are its main attraction. There are two staircases leading into the cave, located to the right and left of the altar. This is where Jesus Christ was born.

Northern staircase.

Northern staircase to the caves.

Manger Chapel

According to Luke 2:7: Mary “laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the monastery.” In the southern part of the cave, to the left of the entrance, there is a manger chapel. This is the only part of the cave that is run by Catholics. It resembles a small chapel measuring approximately 2x2 m, the floor level in it is two steps lower than in the main part of the cave. In this chapel is the place of the Manger, where Christ was laid after his birth. Actually, the Manger is a feeding trough for domestic animals, which was in the cave; the Most Holy Theotokos, of necessity, used it as a cradle. In the middle of the 7th century, the interior of the Manger was taken as a great shrine to Rome.

Southern staircase to the cave.

Christ's manger

The same part of the Manger that remained in Bethlehem was covered with marble and now represents a recess in the floor (about 1 x 1.3 m), arranged in the form of a cradle, above which five unquenchable lamps burn. Behind these lamps, against the wall, there is a small image depicting the worship of the Bethlehem shepherds to the Child.

In ancient times, according to the testimony of Jerome of Stridon, the manger was made of clay, and then they were made of gold and silver. Medieval pilgrims kissed the manger through three round holes in its marble frame. In the 19th century, Mikhail Skaballanovich describes the manger of Christ as made of marble, with “the bottom of white marble, and the side walls of brown marble; in the manger lies a wax image of the infant Christ.”

Since 642, the Roman Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore has kept tablets brought from Palestine, revered as the manger of Christ. They are called Sacra culla. They are made of olive wood and consist of five planks held together with metal strips. On one of the metal strips there is a heavily erased Greek inscription from the 7th-9th centuries with the names of Christian saints. The exact time of manufacture of the tablets themselves has not been established; it is believed that their age is much younger than similar wooden plates should have been if they had actually been in the Bethlehem cave at the birth of Christ. Perhaps this relic was placed in the cave by Christians of the Jerusalem Church to replace the original manger, which pilgrims in the first centuries dismantled as a shrine.

On Catholic Christmas, the figurine of Jesus, from the Church of St. Catherine, is transferred to this manger. And they look like this:

Altar of the Magi - was built in the place where, according to legend, the Magi worshiped the Son of God.

The Magi bring gifts to the Baby: gold as the king of earth and heaven (note that the root “chris” in the Greek word “Christ” means not only “Anointed One”, but also “Gold”), incense like God and myrrh as a mortal man awaiting burial. It is surprising that by some miracle the gifts of the Magi have been preserved to this day in one of the Athos monasteries.

Here they are - golden openwork plates of oriental work, and balls of incense and dried myrrh are attached to them. There are twenty-eight such plates. But, most likely, there were thirty-three of them - according to the number of earthly years of the Savior.

The canonical texts do not speak directly about the cave. The fact that Christ was born in Bethlehem is reported by the evangelists Luke (Luke 2:4-7) and Matthew (Matthew 2:1-11), but none of them mentions the cave, only Luke indirectly points to it, reporting that the Mother of God “laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

The oldest written evidence that has come down to us about the cave as the place of the Nativity belongs to St. Justin the Philosopher. In his essay “Dialogue with Tryphon the Jew,” he claims that the Holy Family found shelter in a cave near Bethlehem. The cave as the site of the Nativity is mentioned many times in the apocryphal Proto-Gospel of James.

Origen visited Bethlehem almost a century before the construction of the Basilica of the Nativity, around 238, and in Against Celsus he mentions a cave in Bethlehem that the locals believed to be the site of the Nativity.

What kind of cave it was and who it belonged to is unknown. Most likely, it was of natural origin, and later it was adapted for household needs. In Bethlehem, many old buildings are built over caves in the limestone cliffs. Often houses have a cave on their first floor, the entrance to which is at street level. The family lives on the second floor. Many of these rooms have stone troughs or mangers carved into the rock, as well as iron rings so that animals can be tied up at night. These caves were used to keep animals until the mid-20th century.

Old house in Bethlehem, photo from 1898.

Manger - feeding troughs for livestock, in Palestine in biblical times, looked something like the one shown below.
In the photo, a manger found by archaeologists on the territory of a Roman villa in Zippori (ancient Sepphorius - the capital of Galilee) is a “stone box”. In biblical times there were never wooden mangers; basic household items were made of stone or clay.

At the end of the cave you can see a door that leads to the northern part of the system of grottoes located under the basilica, including the cave in which St. Jerome of Stridon lived. Unfortunately, this door is usually always locked.

Behind this door is the entrance to the western part of the Nativity Cave, separated from the eastern part by a partition. Here was the natural entrance to the cave; Later, Blessed Jerome of Stridon, the author of a translation of the Bible into vernacular Latin called the Vulgate, settled there. Here is the cell of the holy ascetic, and here he was buried.

The cave is the cell of Blessed Jerome of Stridon.

Burial place of Blessed Jerome of Stridon

Cave wall. All other furnishings date from the period after the 1869 fire, with the exception of the bronze gate to the north and the southern entrance to the caves, which date from the 6th century.

The ceiling is heavily smoked, 32 lamps are suspended on it, and there are 53 of them in the cave. The cave has no natural light; it is currently illuminated by electricity and, partly, by lamps and candles.

The cave measures 12.3 x 3.5 m and 3 m in height, that is, it is quite narrow and long, oriented along a west-east line. The Nativity site is located at its eastern end. There are two staircases leading into the cave, northern and southern, each consisting of 15 porphyry steps. The northern staircase belongs to Catholics, the southern to Orthodox and Armenians. These entrances acquired their current appearance in the 12th century, when the bronze doors of the 5th-6th centuries were enclosed in marble portals, and the lunettes above the doors were decorated with stone carvings.

The floor of the cave and the lower part of the walls are decorated with light marble, the rest is draped with fabric or covered with 19th-century trellises, and icons are hung on the walls.

General view of the Holy Nativity scene.

Altar over the Star of Bethlehem.

Lower part of the altar

The silver star on the floor symbolizes the place where Jesus was born. The floor is paved with marble, and 15 lamps hang above the star (6 of them belong to the Greek church, 5 to the Armenian and 4 to the Roman). Behind these lamps, in a semicircle on the wall of a niche, are small Orthodox icons. Two more small glass lamps are simply standing on the floor, right behind the star, against the wall.

Directly above the Nativity site is an Orthodox marble throne. Only Orthodox Christians and Armenians have the right to celebrate the liturgy on this throne. When there is no service, the altar is covered with a special removable grille.

The liturgy here is celebrated early in the morning. The service is performed by an Orthodox Arab priest, the Greeks sing, and mostly Russians pray.

The silver star has 14 rays and symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem. The genealogy of Jesus Christ, with which the Gospel of Matthew begins, says: “Therefore all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the migration to Babylon to Christ there are fourteen generations.” (Matt. 1:17). There were also exactly 14 stops of Jesus Christ on the way to the place of execution on Mount Golgotha ​​in Jerusalem).

The inscription on the star is in Latin: “ Hic de virgine Maria Iesus Christus Natus est”, which in translation reads: “Jesus Christ was born here from the Virgin Mary.”

The ancient silver and gold star was stolen in 1847 (it is unknown by whom, but most likely by the Turks). The star that can be seen now was made according to the exact model of the ancient one and strengthened in 1847 by order of Sultan Abdulmecid I and at his expense.

Cave of the Bethlehem Babies

We go out into the courtyard of the temple, this is already the territory of a Greek Orthodox monastery. To the left, under a stone canopy, is the entrance to other caves.

Bethlehem - the home city of David and the birthplace of David's glorious descendant, Christ the Savior - is located on a hill (2704 feet above sea level) of two oblong hills (eastern and western), connected by a short ridge. In the south and north it is surrounded by valleys, and in the east and west by more gentle slopes. Bethlehem is just two hours south of Jerusalem. The surroundings of Bethlehem are very attractive, they have some imprint of comfort and joy.

The very hills of Bethlehem are covered with rich vegetation and entire gardens of various trees - olives, vineyards, figs, etc. The hills and valleys of the surrounding area are covered with green gardens. When you admire the picturesque surroundings of Bethlehem, says one traveler, you involuntarily recall all the biblical events that once took place here. Here in the distance you can see a small quadrangular building covered with a dome: this is the grave of the beautiful Rachel, the dearly beloved wife of the forefather Jacob; here she died, was mourned by him and buried near the road to Bethlehem (Gen. 35:16; 48:7). And here are the ruins of that Rama that the prophet mentions; predicting the slaughter of the innocent babies of Bethlehem: a voice is heard in Rama, a cry and a bitter sob; Rachel cries for her children and does not want to be consoled for her children, for they are not there.(Jer. 31:15). These are the fields in which poor Ruth gathered ears of corn behind the reapers to feed her elderly mother-in-law, whom she loved like a mother, for which the Lord rewarded her so that she became the wife of the honorable and wealthy resident of Bethlehem, Boaz, and the foremother of the Savior of the world. And down there, in the valleys of Bethlehem and along the surrounding fertile hills, rich in springs of sweet water, Ruth’s beautiful great-grandson, the young man David, was tending his father’s flocks; there he entered into battle with a lion and a bear, defending his flock, and there he played his wondrous psalms on the harp. In these same mountains, he subsequently hid more than once from Saul, when he pursued him everywhere, like a runaway slave or some villain. And one involuntarily remembers the touching, pleading words of the meek young man. addressed to the evil persecutor: Why does my master persecute his servant? What I've done? what evil is in my hand?(1 Samuel 26:18). Here in Bethlehem the prophet Samuel found David and anointed him king for the first time, and later, when David became king in Israel, Bethlehem began to be called by the honorable name of the city of David. Right there in the fields of Bethlehem is the well of David, from which he, tormented by thirst, wanted to drink at a time when Bethlehem was occupied by the Philistines; then three of the brave men of his army, at the risk of their lives, made their way through the enemy camp and got water for their beloved leader ; but the courageous king poured out this water “for the glory of the Lord” and said: Lord forbid me to do this! Isn't this the blood of people who walked with their own lives at risk?(2 Samuel 23:14-17). Then he defeated the enemies and took possession of Bethlehem. Further to the south behind the mountains are Solomon's Ziamenite Ponds, from where this wise king built a water supply system to Jerusalem, which is still an amazing structure.

These are the biblical memories that come to life in the soul of a Christian at the sight of Bethlehem and its environs. But how weak and dim they are before the holy memory of the greatest event that illuminated humanity with a new light and created true greatness and glory for Bethlehem - the Nativity of Christ! The entire subsequent history of Bethlehem depends on its significance, namely as the birthplace of the Savior of the world here, as a place of Christian reverence and veneration. Already in the first centuries of Christianity, Bethlehem developed thanks to the travel here of pious pilgrims. In 830, Constantine the Great built a magnificent basilica in Bethlehem, and Justinian subsequently made reconstructions on it. Later monasteries and temples were built here, so that by 600 AD the city was known throughout the Christian world for its comparative prosperity.

However, the destructive blows of history did not spare Bethlehem, like most places dear to the Christian heart in the Holy Land. In the 12th century. When the crusaders approached, the Arabs almost completely destroyed Bethlehem, which was again restored by the crusaders. In 1244, Bethlehem was devastated by the Kharezmians, and in 1489 it was almost completely destroyed. It was restored only in recent centuries and became an almost exclusively Christian city. In 1831, Muslims were expelled from Bethlehem on the occasion of their uprising because of a new tax, and in 1834, as a result of their new uprising, by order of Ibrahim Pasha, the entire quarter that they had previously occupied was destroyed.

Currently, Bethlehem has about 11 thousand inhabitants and almost all of them are Christians. The main occupation of the residents is agriculture and cattle breeding; in addition, they have been preparing various items for pilgrims for several centuries and are especially skilled in preparing various items from mother-of-pearl: crosses, images of biblical events, etc. However, these things are also made from coral and from a stone called “pig” or “stinking stone” (a combination of lime and mountain resin; this stone is mined from the Dead Sea).

The entire small city, divided into eight quarters, is decorated with buildings and buildings of Christians of various faiths. Catholics have here a large Franciscan monastery with a hospice house, a beautiful new church on the mountainside behind the old large church, a school for boys and a school for girls - the Sisters of St. Joseph, orphanage, pharmacy. In the southeast of the city there is a Catholic Carmelite monastery, built on the model of the castle of St. Angela in Rome, also with a church and seminary. In the northeast, on Hebron Street, is the Sisters of Charity Hospital. The Armenians also have a large monastery in Bethlehem, adjacent to the Greek monastery and the Franciscan monastery - all this together forms a large building similar to a fortress on the south-eastern edge of the city. There are few Protestants in the city (up to 60 people).

But the main shrine of the city and so dear to every Christian is the temple and cave of the Nativity of Christ, located at the end of the city on the eastern hill, not far from the steep descent into the valley. The Church of the Nativity of Christ is remarkable not only because it was built on the birthplace of the Savior of the world, but also because of the antiquity of its main structures. It is known that Constantine the Great already erected a basilica on the site of the cave in which Christ was born. One might think that this ancient basilica in its general and basic form is the present building, of course, with those changes and, so to speak, wrinkles that time and history have put on it. In any case, this assumption is confirmed both in the unity of the general style of the current building and in the absence of a special character characteristic of more recent times. Even if we assume that the Church of the Nativity was significantly restored by Justinian (527-565), then even in this case this building provides an example of ancient Christian art. Of course, in subsequent centuries the temple underwent corrections and changes, but they were not significant. So in the 12th century. the walls of the temple were decorated with mosaics on a golden field by order of the Byzantine emperor. Manuel Komnenos (1148 - 1180); the temple itself was then covered with tin. In the 15th century (in 1482), due to damage to the roof, repair work was required, which was carried out at the expense of Western sovereigns (Edward IV of England and Philip of Burgundy). At the end of the 17th century. The Turks removed lead from the roof of the temple and poured it into bullets, and almost all of the mosaic of Manuel Komnenos had crumbled even earlier.

The Church of the Nativity of Christ is located in front of a large stone-paved square; in front of the main entrance to the temple from the west, traces of the ancient courtyard (atrium) of the original basilica are still visible. Of the three doors that originally led into the vestibule of the temple, there is a middle door that forms the present main entrance; but it was laid down a long time ago, and only a low door was left for access to the temple. The vestibule of the temple, which occupies the width of the average ship of the building, is dark and divided into several parts by walls. Three doors formerly led from the vestibule into the temple, but two of them were walled up, and only the middle one was left. The interior of the temple amazes with its majestic simplicity. It has the shape of a majestic hall, divided by four rows of columns of red marble (solid) with white veins (11 columns in each row; column height 6 m) into five longitudinal ships; Moreover, the middle ship with its width (10, 40 m) is twice or even more than the side ones on one side and the other; side ships and below average. In terms of their structure, the columns of the temple are not devoid of significant beauty and originality: their base rests on a quadrangular slab; their capitals look Corinthian, but the style is somewhat transformed; at the top they have small crosses carved deep. Here and there on the walls of the temple you can see the remains of a mosaic by Michael Komnenos; in addition, there is an image of the (seven) last ancestors of St. Joseph (half-figures), the most important Ecumenical and Local Councils, above - a group of decorations from branches with leaves, faces of angels on vaults, etc. This part of the temple is separated by a blank wall from the third part of the temple, in which the temple itself is located above the cave of the Nativity of Christ. There are three doors leading into this part of the temple. It represents the actual continuation of the middle ship, crossed by the transverse one. Both of these ships form the shape of a Latin cross; at the four corners of their intersection there are four pilasters. In the apse of the main middle ship there is a Greek altar and throne, separated from the western part of the temple by a small pulpit and iconostasis. The remains of mosaics on the walls of this part of the temple depict various events from the life of Christ: in the southern apse there is a very unique image of the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem; in the northern apse there is an image of the appearance of the risen Savior to the apostles together with Thomas; the apostles do not have lights (halos); the third picture represents a picture of the Ascension of Christ: the apostles are also without radiance; among the apostles is the Blessed Virgin; The top part of the picture is missing.

Two staircases from this part of the temple lead down to the Cave of the Nativity. These stairs are located on the right and left sides of the solea of ​​the Orthodox altar; Currently, the right (southern) staircase belongs to the Orthodox, and the left (north) staircase belongs to the Catholics. The very cave of the Nativity of Christ, located under the Orthodox altar, has an oblong appearance: its length is 12 m. 40 cm, width - 3 m. 90 cm and height - 3 m. The entire cave is illuminated by 32 lamps. Its floor is covered with marble slabs, as are the walls. In the eastern niche there is a throne, and above the throne there is a silver star with an inscription on the ground in Latin: Нiс de Virgine Maria Iesus Christus natus est (Here Christ was born of the Virgin Mary). Without awe and spiritual delight one cannot read this inscription, which speaks so much to the heart and mind of a Christian! Around this niche there are 15 lamps burning, of which 6 belong to the Greeks, 5 to the Armenians and 4 to the Catholics. No matter how brightly these lamps burn, how feeble and feeble their light reminds us of the ever-present light, the light of the world that once shone here!

Almost opposite the cave there are three steps along which you go down to the chapel of the manger, located in a special cave. This manger itself is made of marble: the bottom is of white marble, and the side walls are of brown marble; in the manger lies a wax image of the infant Christ. Here in the west is the Latin throne of the adoration of the Magi with a (later) depiction of this event. Not far from this cave from the southwestern corner of the church of St. Catherine is led by a staircase to the southern parts of the cave, first to the so-called Chapel of Innocent Infants, where, according to a late legend of the 15th century, Herod ordered the death of several babies hidden here by their mothers. Five steps up lead to the chapel of St. Joseph, erected in 1621 on the site where St. Joseph received orders from an angel to flee to Egypt with the baby Christ. In addition to all this, the coffin of the blessed one, located in special caves, is highly revered by Christians, especially Catholics. Jerome (father of the 4th century), the coffin and throne of the presbyter Eusebius of Cremona, the coffins of the disciples of the blessed. Jerome Pavla and her daughter Eustochia and, finally, the cell where this saint. Jerome spent 36 years of peaceful life in his labors translating the books of St. Scriptures in Latin (Vulgate) and other works for the benefit of the Church. There is also a so-called milk cave, where it is as if drops of milk fell to the ground from the breast of the Mother of God; there is a valley of shepherds and a village of shepherds - Beth Sagur, where the shepherds were from, who were honored to be the first to receive news from the celestials about the birth of the Savior of the world.

Everything in this holy place is covered in the spirit of the great event - the birth of Christ, everything here lifts the Christian’s thought to the Divine Infant, everything encourages us to bow the knee of our hearts before the greatness of the ineffable mercy of the Son of God!

Mikhail Skaballanovich

Notes

Ramah is a small town of the tribe of Benjamin (1 Josh. 18:25) north of Jerusalem.

One of the recent travelers describes these Solomon's Ponds this way. “Three huge ponds go one after another along the very bottom of the valley. The sound of water was heard nearby, similar to that which comes from the wheels of a water mill when it is in action... The ponds themselves are arranged along the bottom of the valley at almost the same distance from one another (approx. 23 soot.), Moreover, each next one lies 6 meters lower than the previous one (= 8.4 arsh.). Each pond individually looks like a huge reservoir filled with water: the length of each of them is 50 soots, the width is 30 soots. , a. depth from 2 to 6 fathoms. They are mostly carved into rocks, and partly lined with hewn stone and reinforced inside with buttresses; to the east, each pond is pumped with a strong transverse wall. Water is carried from these ponds by underground canals for several dozen miles. ; these channels or water pipes go in two different directions and are connected only in the valley of the sons of Ginnom at the bridge, near Jerusalem, from here the water flows through one common channel along the southern slope of the western hill of Jerusalem (Zion) to Mount Moriah: “They say that now it works there. water from this source" (P. Petrushevsky. Vacation trip to St. land. Kyiv 1904, rev. 151 - 152).

E. Baedeker, Palestlne et.Syrie Ed. 1612, p. etc.

Not far from Bethlehem (about two miles) there is a poor chapel called “Angela to the Shepherds”. According to legend, it was built on the spot where the angel appeared to the shepherds. The present chapel is perhaps the remnant of the church built here by St. Elena. It is remarkable that in ancient times there stood the tower of Migdal-Eder - “Tower of the Flock” (Gen. 35:21), located near the city, on the road to Jerusalem. Blzh. Jerome says that “by her very name she was prophetically foreshadowed by the shepherds who were at the birth of the Lord” (De loс. hebr.). It can be assumed that the shepherds who tended their flocks here were not ordinary shepherds, since they tended herds of sacrificial animals" (Edersheim, p. 238).

“And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth; and she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:6-7).

Doesn't it surprise you that the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the Lord of heaven, to whom everything in the universe is subordinate, having been born, had to humbly lie in a manger, in a feeding trough, from which cattle usually ate? Couldn't God have arranged for His Child Son to be placed in a more worthy place?

Of course, God could have arranged it this way. He could ensure that His Son had the most wonderful doctors of that time at his disposal. He could have arranged for Jesus to be born in the beautiful royal chambers, to be swaddled in scarlet and placed in an ivory crib. God could do it all.

Why didn't He do this? Even a person understands, if he has a choice, in which place it is better for his child to be born.

I remember the birth of my second child. My wife had surgery on the first floor in one of the maternity hospitals in Bishkek. And at that time I stood at the window, worried and prayed that everything would go well.

I couldn’t see everything, but I could roughly guess what was happening in the delivery room. When the operation was over, I saw that the child was transferred to the next room. I went to the window of this room (it was slightly open, since it was summer) and looked into it. My child was placed on some metal surface! No diapers, absolutely nothing. The child is screaming, and there is no doctor or nurse nearby. How unpleasant it made me feel. And God? How did God the Father feel when His Son was placed in a cattle trough? Can we imagine it? Dear friends, this has a deep meaning and the greatest secret. This did not happen “just like that”: the Lord Jesus Christ had to lie in a manger when he was born. Let's reflect and see why this was needed and what does it mean for us?

To look at the born Christ, you need to bow low

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the entrance to the place where the Child lay was not high. Usually in sheds and barns they don’t make high doors, they make low ones. And before you get inside, you need to bend down. I am sure that in the cave where the Lord was born there was a low entrance. This is very symbolic.

We happen to live in a time when pride has been elevated to the rank of a certain virtue. And if a person does not have a proud disposition, he is considered a “weak”. God sees it completely differently. In the Bible we read: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).

Dear friend, perhaps you have encountered manifestations of pride more than once in your life. After all, our first reaction is to protect ourselves with pride, so as not to show our weakness, so that people will say: “This is a proud man.”

Pride is valued among people. And in the Bible it is written about this: “...for whatever is high among men is an abomination to God.” It was impossible to enter the cave where Jesus was born without first bowing before Him. If you want to come today to look at the born Christ, you need to bow low to enter the place where He lies in the manger.

If our Lord lay in a manger, then we...

And I would also like to draw attention to the fact that God taught us, who believe in Him, a lesson in humility and obedience.

Recently, very strange teachings have appeared in Christianity, which claim that the children of God should have complete well-being in their lives. We should be doing very well. We should live in the nicest houses, drive the most expensive cars. We should not know either illness or suffering, in a word - to live on earth as in paradise. Well, if you suffer, are sick, if you are not rich, then something is wrong in your life, perhaps you are in sin, and you need to repent.

Dear friends, to this kind of would-be preacher I want to say: read the Gospel more carefully, read the Christmas story carefully. The born Son of God was placed in a cattle trough. And He, of course, was worthy of much better! We must understand that if our Lord, when born, lay in a manger, then we should not be upset that our children are not born in expensive hospitals in London or New York. We don’t have to worry that we are not driving 600 Mercedes that just rolled off the production line, but rather simple Zhiguli cars or even on a bus. Our Lord did not even have a donkey at His disposal. He walked everywhere. There is no need to mourn the fact that we do not live in mansions, but in a small apartment or room. Our Lord had no place to lay his head. And nowhere in the Bible does God promise us heaven on earth. Scripture says that through much tribulation we must enter the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). So, the first reason why the born Lord was placed in an animal feeder was that through Him we were taught a lesson in humility.

The Lord, when he lay in a manger, was available to everyone

The next thing to note is that Jesus Christ was born in a manger in order to be available to everyone.

Remember who was the first to come to the Baby and worship Him? Yes, the first were simple people, shepherds from the fields of Bethlehem! Everyone understands that if Jesus had been born in the royal chambers, then the path to Him would have been closed not only to shepherds, but also to most mere mortals. And the fact that Jesus was born in a pen for animals and was laid in a manger became a great joy for us, dear friends, because the roads to the great ones of this world are closed to us, we have no way to presidents and rulers. But the King of all earthly kings, the Lord of all lords, was born in a simple stable to show that the road to Him is open to every person.

Imagine what would happen if the president of some country held an open day for him once a year. A day when everyone could visit him, talk to him, ask their questions, talk about the needs that concern them. Probably, the queue would have been scheduled for more than one year. I am sure that no president in the world could accept everyone simply because they are all human and limited in their capabilities. But the Lord in the manger was available to everyone. Anyone could come and worship Him.

Dear friend, would you like to come to Jesus to see the amazing Baby whose birth was announced by the Angelic Choir? Hurry, the door to Him is open. You can come to Him and tell about your pains, experiences, difficulties. You can cry with Him. Do not doubt, He is ready to listen to you, understand and accept you. When Christ the Lord came out to His ministry, He said: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest...” (Matthew 12:28). This invitation is still valid. Are you ready to accept the invitation of the King of Heaven and come to look at the born Child Christ? If yes, then hurry up, just like the shepherds did. It is written about them: “...they hastened and came and found Mary and Joseph and the Child lying in a manger” (Luke 2:16).

Hurry! The heavens are still open, the choirs of angels are still singing, the day of salvation is still being proclaimed. Hurry! You might be late. Hurry while there is still time. Dear friend, come to Christ just as you are. During his earthly life, the Lord showed many times that it was precisely to those whom everyone rejected, from whom both society and family turned away, who in the eyes of people were incorrigible sinners, that Jesus Christ came to them. Do you remember to whom He appeared first after His resurrection? It was Mary Magdalene. Jesus cast out seven evil spirits from her. But the Lord appeared to her. You too, no matter how sinful you are, no matter how dirty your soul is, no matter how black your heart is, come to Jesus. Only He, the heavenly Doctor who came down from heaven, will help you.

And one more thought. It belongs to preacher Charles Spurgeon. The manger itself was nothing special. As soon as the Baby Jesus was taken from them, they again turned into an ordinary feeding trough. Dear brothers and sisters, it’s exactly the same with our hearts: as long as Jesus remains in them, we can live holy, exude His light, be righteous. But as soon as Jesus leaves our heart, all the old sins return to it. And the most holy person in a short time can become a perishing sinner again. If we see a similar process in our lives, if Jesus has left my heart, we too will hasten to the manger. Let us hurry to put our lives in order while we are still on the way, while there is time, since it is clear from everything that it is coming to an end. Dear friends, are you familiar with the situation when there were blots on every page of your notebook and it was unpleasant to pick it up? When I was in school, I often experienced similar experiences. Then I simply threw out this notebook and started another one. Our life is often like such a notebook. There is a lot in it that is embarrassing to remember, because every page from a past life is filled with either dirt or “blots.” But here’s the problem: our life is not a school notebook. It cannot be thrown away, although some do just that. But this is not a way out. After all, we will not be able to start another life.

Dear friend, perhaps you have reproached yourself more than once and said: “If I could return everything, I would have acted completely differently.” Unfortunately, time is not under our control; we are not able to change what has long passed. And yet we can start our lives with a blank page. This opportunity is given by the Lord Jesus Christ. He gave His life so that you and I could be saved. The Blood that He shed on the cross of Calvary has the power to wash away any sin. Anyone, no matter how difficult it may be. Do you want to start from scratch? If yes, then open the doors of your soul to Him. He will go in there and put everything in order. You will experience peace, tranquility, joy, the closeness of your Heavenly Father. You will be able to join the family of God's children - the Church of redeemed people going to heaven. These blessings are promised by God Himself. But to receive them, you need to let Jesus into your life. Amen.

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In surviving written sources it was first mentioned around 150. An underground temple has been located here since the time of St. Helena. Belongs .

Christmas place

The birthplace of Christ is marked by a silver star, which is set into the floor and was once gilded and decorated with precious stones.

The star has 14 rays and symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem, inside the circle there is an inscription in Latin:

"Hic de virgine Maria Iesus Christus Natus est"

“Jesus Christ was born here from the Virgin Mary”

Above this star, in a semicircular niche, hang 16 lamps, of which 6 belong to the Orthodox, 6 to the Armenians and 4 to the Catholics.

Behind these lamps, in a semicircle on the wall of a niche, small icons are placed. Two more small glass lamps are simply standing on the floor, right behind the star, against the wall.

Directly above the Nativity site is an Orthodox marble throne.

On this throne only Orthodox Christians have the right to perform the liturgy.

In front, the throne rests on two small marble columns, and in the niche above it there are small fragments of mosaics.

During times when there is no service, the throne is closed with a special removable grille. Behind the throne on the wall are six small Orthodox icons.

Manger Chapel

In the southern part of the cave, to the left of the entrance, there is a manger chapel.

This is the only part of the cave that is run by Catholics.

It resembles a small chapel measuring approximately 2 x 2 m, or a little more, and its floor level is two steps lower than in the main part of the cave.

In this chapel, to the right of the entrance, is the place of the Manger, where Christ was laid after his birth.

Actually, the Manger is a feeding trough for domestic animals, which was in a cave; the Most Holy Theotokos, of necessity, used it as a cradle.

The interior of the Manger was taken as a great shrine to Rome, to the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, where it is known under the names Sacra culla, Cunambulum or Praesepe.

This was done in the middle of the 7th century, under Pope Theodore I, a few years after the capture, perhaps in order to prevent the desecration of the shrine.

The same part of the Manger that remained in Bethlehem was covered with marble and now represents a recess in the floor, arranged in the form of a cradle, above which five unquenchable lamps burn.

Behind these lamps, against the wall, there is a small image depicting the worship of the Bethlehem shepherds to the Child.

In the chapel of the Manger, to the left of the entrance to it, there is a Catholic altar of the Adoration of the Magi. The altarpiece located here depicts the adoration of the Magi to Christ.

Description of the cave

The cave measures 12.3 x 3.5 m and 3 m in height, that is, it is quite narrow and long, oriented along a west-east line. The Nativity site is located at its eastern end.

Two staircases from the time of Justinian the Great, northern and southern, lead to the cave, each consisting of 15 porphyry steps.

The northern staircase belongs to the Orthodox and Armenians; they are located in the eastern part of the cave, symmetrically on both sides of it.

Usually pilgrims descend along the southern stairs and ascend along the northern one. These entrances acquired their current appearance in the 12th century, when the bronze doors of the 5th-6th centuries. were enclosed in marble portals, and the lunettes above the doors were decorated with stone carvings.

The floor of the cave and the lower part of the walls are decorated with light marble, the rest is draped with fabric or covered with 19th-century trellises, and icons are hung on the walls.

The ceiling is heavily smoked, 32 lamps are suspended on it, and there are 53 of them in the cave, and this number has not changed for a long time.

The cave has no natural light; it is currently illuminated by electricity and, partly, by lamps and candles.

In the western wall of the cave there is a door that leads to the northern part of the system of grottoes located under the basilica, including the grotto where the saint lived. As a rule, this door is locked.

The ancient silver and gilded star was stolen in 1847 (it is unknown by whom, but most likely by the Turks).

This theft became a new reason for mutual grievances between Orthodox Greeks and Catholics and even partially awakened the “question of Holy Places” in 1848.

The star that can be seen now was made according to the exact model of the ancient one and strengthened in 1847 by order of Sultan Abdulmecid I and at his expense.

For the first time, the Nativity Cave was described in Russian at the beginning of the 12th century. , in the essay “The Life and Walk of Abbot Daniel from the Russian Land”:

“And there, to the east, there is a place opposite which on the right is the Manger of Christ. On the western side, under a stone rock, there are the holy Manger of Christ, in which Christ the God was laid, wrapped in rags. He endured everything for our salvation. Those places are close to each other - Christmas and Manger: the distance between them is approximately three fathoms; both these places are in one cave. The cave is decorated with mosaics and beautifully paved. Everything is hollowed out under the church, and the relics of the saints lie here.”

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Helpful information

Cave of the Nativity
Grotto of the Nativity
Holy Nativity scene
Holy Nativity scene

Address and contacts

Bethlehem, Manger Square, Church of the Nativity

First mention of the cave

The canonical texts do not speak directly about the cave. The evangelists Luke (Luke 2:4-7) and Matthew (Matthew 2:1-11) report that Christ was born in Bethlehem, but none of them mentions the cave, only Luke indirectly points to it, saying that the Mother of God “She laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).

The oldest direct written evidence that has probably reached us about the cave as the place of the Nativity belongs to St. Justin the Philosopher.

In his essay “Dialogue with Tryphon the Jew,” written in 150-155, he claims that the Holy Family found shelter in a cave near Bethlehem.

The cave as the site of the Nativity is mentioned many times in the apocryphal Proto-Gospel of James (chapters 18-21), presumably written around 150 AD.

Origen visited Bethlehem almost a century before the construction of the Basilica of the Nativity, around 238. Later, in Against Celsus, written around 247, he mentions a cave in Bethlehem, which the locals believed to be the site of the Nativity of Christ.

Origin of the cave

What kind of cave it was and who it belonged to is unknown. Most likely it was of natural origin, and later it was adapted for household needs, including keeping pets.

In Bethlehem, many old buildings are built over caves in the limestone cliffs. Often houses located on a slope have a cave on their first floor, the entrance to which is at street level.

This floor was used as a stable, and the family lived on the second floor.

Many of these rooms have stone feeding troughs or mangers carved into the rock, as well as iron rings so that animals can be tied up at night.

These caves are exactly the same as the Nativity Grotto; they were used to keep animals until the mid-20th century.

Perhaps Christ was born in one of these caves.