We have made it to Bethlehem and are now all installed in the Manger Square Hotel in Manger Square.
We are in fact a short walk away from the Basilica of the Nativity, built in the fourth century over the site where Jesus Christ was born.
Unfortunately owing to the fact that the Russian Orthodox Patriarch was in town, our itinerary was subject to change owing to traffic and security. See more on this here.
So we managed to celebrate our Mass at St Catherine's Church which is connected to the Church of the Nativity, but managed only the briefest glance at the Church of the Nativity- we will however be returning before we leave Bethlehem. Fr Paul our Pilgrimage Director has promised!
Christmas on Pilgrimage
Today, owing to the fact that we are in Bethlehem we sang a lot of Christmas hymns. We have sung today O Come All Ye faithful, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Silent Night and Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!
"It was really nice to sing them on the spot that they talk about" said one pilgrim. Another said that it was nice to think about Christmas away from all the commercial pressure and to focus on the importance of the event.
Fr John helped us with this during his homily at Mass as he talked about the significance of Christ being born. He said: "God makes an appearance as a baby." Fr John also borrowed a homily from one of his students at Allen Hall where he recounted the tale of a small child who was given a room of his own at home aged 5 or 6. He called out to his parents, 'I'm scared alone in this room'. His dad answered, 'It's ok, your mum and I are in the next room.' A few moments later the child called out again 'Dad, I'm still scared, can someone come?' Dad again replied, 'It's alright, we are just here, and remember God is always with you, you are not alone." A brief silence followed before the child again called out 'Dad, I'm still scared. I know God is with me all the time, but I want someone with skin on!"
And that said Fr John is the significance of Christ's birth. He is human, he has skin, Jesus gets into the real lives of people because he was a real person."
At Mass we also remembered all those who have asked for our prayers- that's you reader! We asked for the peace that Jesus brings.
St Jerome
We also went to the Cave of St Jerome which is attached to the Church of St Catherine. St Jerome was an scholar of the early Cristian Church and he settled in Bethlehem in 384. Here, and possibly in the cave that we saw, he completed a new version of the Bible: The Vulgate; a definitive Latin version.
At this point our schedule stared to slip and so before lunch rather than after, we split into groups and one group went to St Martha's Day centre for the elderly and another went to St Vincent's Orphanage. These are Christian projects, run by Christians but for all.
At St Vincent's Orphanage we met some of the children. they currently have 33 children that they care for permanently. these are children that have been abandoned or left at the orphanage as to have a child outside of wedlock is a crime. The orphanage is supported entirely by donations and also runs other services such as a creche.
After lunch we visited the Shepherds Fields, the site where the angels may have appeared to the shepherds. We were told that in Ancient Israel, shepherds were rough and not to be trusted, their testimony was not accepted in court and they were considered the least of people. yet, they were the first to hear the good news about Christ's birth.
The afternoon ended with some shopping before heading to the hotel to check in and meet local Christians from nearby parishes.
