The little town where Jesus is said to have been born is
the site of the Church of the Nativity, which is ablaze with flags and
decorations every Christmas. In the West Bank town of Bethlehem, the
birthplace of Jesus Christ, thousands of people rang in the holiday in
Manger Square. On Christmas Eve natives and visitors alike
crowd the church's doorways and stand on the roof to watch for the
dramatic annual procession. Galloping horsemen and police mounted on
Arabian horses lead the parade. They are followed by solitary horseman
carrying a cross and sitting astride a coal-black steed. Then come the
churchmen and government officials. The procession solemnly enters the
doors and places an ancient effigy of the Holy Child in the church. Deep
winding stairs lead to a grotto where visitors find a silver star marking
the site of the birth of Jesus.
Christian homes in Bethlehem are marked by a cross
painted over the door and each home displays a homemade manger scene. A
star is set up on a pole in the village square.
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