“The star of Bethlehem was actually a star of hope…”
James Kennedy
I hope you are having a great day. Today is the type of day where the town of Bethlehem might run through your thoughts, perhaps in the form of a song. It is easy to overlook that Bethlehem is real place with a modern reality. Bethlehem is situated 775m above sea level in the Judean Mountains. It was first mentioned by name in ancient Egyptian correspondence around 1350 BCE. The name is derived from Arabic meaning House of meat, or perhaps Hebrew meaning House of bread. The Old Testament identifies it as the birthplace of King David. The New Testament describes in detail its role in the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, at a place now known as the Church of the Nativity. Bethlehem has always been a small town with a current population of 29,000. 5000 people live in the old town or quarter. Whilst in has always nominally been a city of Arab Christians, it has spent most of it’s time under Arab Muslim control. Currently it lies in the controversial West Bank, officially under Palestinian control, but encircled by Israeli settlements. War, invasion, crusades, religion, politics, dispute and uncertainty have always been part of the history. This year is no different. #therealnativityscene #merrychrstmas #peaceonearth #letsmakelemonade
Pen Paint and Scalpel 