Wot’s Wacky December
Why does the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem have a very low door?
Have you heard the Christmas carol “O little town of Bethlehem”?
The song refers to the little town of Bethlehem in Israel where Jesus was born. Built on the side of a hill the city has lots of little shops on narrow, winding streets, and is a popular spot for tourists – especially the Church of the Nativity.
This church is said to be built on the site where Jesus was born in a manger. It was first built by Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constantine but was destroyed in the 6th century. It was rebuilt 527-65 AD by the Emperor Justinian and is the oldest church in Israel.
The Persians invaded Israel in 614 AD, but didn’t touch this church. Why? Because, according to legend, there was a painting inside the church of the Wise Men and they were dressed in PERSIAN clothes.
The door into the church is very low and visitors have to bend over to go inside. There are several stories as to why it was built like this:
- One story says that the Arabs used to ride their horses into the church, so the height of the door was reduced to keep them out
- Another story says that the door was put in by the Muslims during their rule to remind the Christians to bow to them
- Yet another story says that it was to protect the Christians from their hostile neighbours
The roof of the church was covered in lead, but this was pinched by the Turks who melted it down to make ammunition for themselves. Thousands of pilgrims from all over the world visit this church every year.