Manger Square
Encyclopedia
Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
. It takes its name from the manger where Jesus was born which, according to Christian dogma, is in the Church of the Nativity
Church of the Nativity
The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is one of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world. The structure is built over the cave that tradition marks as the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth, and thus it is considered sacred by Christians...
, possibly the oldest existing church in the world, which surrounds the square. Also around Manger Square is the Mosque of Omar
Mosque of Omar (Bethlehem)
The Mosque of Omar is the oldest and only mosque in the old city of Bethlehem, located in Manger Square, near the Church of the Nativity.-History:The mosque is named after Omar ibn al-Khattab , the second Rashidun Muslim Caliph...
(the city's only mosque) and the Palestinian Peace Center. Several Jesus-related streets lead into the Square: Star Street
Star Street
Star Street is a Dutch children's cartoon that was popular both in Benelux and in the United Kingdom. The protagonists were pink big-nosed creatures comically fashioned after horoscopes of the western zodiac and was set on a small star-shaped planet in the outer reaches of the universe...
and Nativity Street.
In 1998-1999 the square was renovated to relieve the traffic congestion and currently is pedestrian only. It is mainly a meeting place or locals and for the town's many pilgrims. There are rows of Celtis australis
Celtis australis
Celtis australis, commonly known as the European nettle tree, Mediterranean hackberry, lote tree, or honeyberry, is a deciduous tree that can grow 20 or 25 meters in height....
that provide shade to its people with benches and fountains made of white yellowish Naqab marble below.
Christmas Celebrations
Julian calendar
The Julian calendar began in 45 BC as a reform of the Roman calendar by Julius Caesar. It was chosen after consultation with the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria and was probably designed to approximate the tropical year .The Julian calendar has a regular year of 365 days divided into 12 months...
liturgically, whereas the Roman Catholic Church follows the modern Gregorian Calendar
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...
. Thus Christmas Eve services for the Eastern and Western confessions will be held on different days. The Roman Catholic Exarch will celebrate the Nativity on December 25th; the Orthodox Church will celebrate the Nativity on January 7.
Church of the Nativity Siege
In May 2002, during an Israel Defense ForcesIsrael Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
raid into the square, a number of locals (some of whom were armed) occupied the Church of the Nativity
Church of the Nativity
The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is one of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world. The structure is built over the cave that tradition marks as the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth, and thus it is considered sacred by Christians...
. It became the site of a 5-week stand-off. The number of people inside was estimated between 120 and 240. It was alleged by Palestinians that several Palestinians inside the church compound were shot dead by Israeli snipers during the siege. The siege ended with an agreement for 13 militants to be sent via Cyprus to various European counties and another 26 to be sent to Gaza. The rest were set free. The IDF stated that 40 explosive devices were found and removed from the compound after the standoff was concluded.