Some of the wall mosaics, which were restored to their original beauty two years ago, tell the traditional stories of Jesus Christ in the Holy Land.
This simple, but elegant, Grotto of the Nativity first began to be a Holy Site in the Byzantine period. It was then that an altar was placed in the cave to remember the exact place where baby Jesus was born. Under the altar is a beautiful star. The inscription reads in Latin: “Hic de Virgine Maria Iesus Christus natus est. ” The translation of this inscription is: "In memory of the precise spot of the Nativity." How amazing it is to see the very spot where the baby Jesus was born.
The Grotto of the Nativity in Bethlehem is where you will find the manger where Jesus was born. The natural limestone walls of this ancient cave were decorated during the Constantine period. How beautiful they must have been. During the Byzantine period the walls were covered with a beautiful marble.
