Restoration work is to begin on the Grotto of the Nativity, part of the church built on the site traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ.
The grotto is part of the Church of the Nativity, located in Bethlehem and under the joint administration and ownership of a number of denominations. The Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Armenian Apostolic, Coptic Orthodox and Syriac Orthodox churches all have a presence in the church.
The restoration work is primarily being led by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate, with cooperation from the State of Palestine.
The work will be undertaken by an Italian company, which recently renovated the Basilica of the Nativity.
In a statement, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Catholic order, Custody of the Holy Land, which was founded to take care of pilgrims to the Holy Land and maintain the holy sites, said that using the same firm would ensure “continuity in method, craftsmanship, and artistic sensitivity toward a site of unparalleled sacred symbolism”.
Preliminary preparations for the work have already been completed.
The statement said that the restoration represented efforts to protect the faith, memory and devotion to Jesus in the land of his birth.
“This project embodies a unified Christian commitment to preserve the spiritual, historical, and cultural patrimony of the Holy Grotto for future generations, and to uphold the dignity of a site where the Christian proclamation took visible form and where the faithful of every nation have gathered in pilgrimage throughout the centuries," they said.
“Through this collective effort, the Churches of Jerusalem protect the Gospel heritage entrusted to them and ensure that the faithful of all traditions may continue to venerate the birthplace of Christ with reverence.
"From Bethlehem, the light of the Nativity continues to illumine the world, bearing witness to the enduring Christian presence in the Holy Land and to the hope that radiates from the sacred cave where the Savior was born.”
