Religious Routes And Sites
Known locally as Biyar Daoud (David’s Cisterns or Well), these three great cisterns are excavated in the rock and are nowadays located within the Catholic Action Club premises. Tradition identifies them with “the cistern that is in Bethlehem at the gate” from which David longed to drink during a battle…
The sight of the Convent of Hortus Conclusus (The Sealed Gardens) is breathtaking, set as it is against a backdrop of mountains, with a picturesque stone bridge stretching over the verdant Artas Valley to the old core of the village of Artas. While there has been much immigration from the…
Built in 1888, the French Convent of the Carmelite Sisters resembles the Castle of Saint Angelo in Rome. It is located in the southwest part of the city of Bethlehem, just outside the old core. The site is associated with the Palestinian Saint Miram Baourdi, also known as “the Little…
Situated in the old part of Beit Jala and named after the patron saint of Beit Jala, St. Nicholas Church is built on the remains of an earlier construction. This consists of a chapel and two side rooms built by Karj monks who came from Russia during the Ottoman Period.…
The Cremisan Monastery is a beloved spot of families in the Bethlehem area, who seek the spiritual and physical refreshment offered by this beautifully situated spot. Often they are to be seen enjoying picnics and hikes on the wooded grounds. Reached by a long winding road out of the town…
Situated in the village of Al-Khader, a short distance out of the town of Beit Jala, St. George's Monastery can be reached through Hebron-Bethlehem Road. You will recognize the village entrance by the large free-standing archway with a depiction of St. George on it. Following the road almost to the…
The Mosque of Omar is the oldest and foremost mosque in Bethlehem. It was built in 1860 and was dedicated to the memory of Caliph Omar Ibn El-Khattab, who visited Bethlehem in 637 AD at the time of the Arab Conquest, after he had issued an edict pledging safety to…
The Shepherds’ Field is located in the town of Beit Sahour, 1 kilometer east of Bethlehem. In this field, according to tradition, an angel surrounded by a supernatural light appeared to the bewildered shepherds as they were keeping night watch over their flock. “Suddenly there was with the angel a…
On a hillside in the northern part of Bethlehem lies the Salesian cluster. It exemplifies the type of buildings which were erected in the late nineteenth century by various religious denominations at the edges or outside the traditional quarters, and the services they provided the population. It also exemplifies the…
The Patriarch’s Route is named for the route taken by the Patriarch and other dignitaries for several religious processions during the year, such as Christmas Eve and The Feast of the Holy Eucharist. Just before entering Star Street in the City of Bethlehem, from the Nativity Road, you come across…
