3. Milk Grotto
This cave-chapel is said to be the site where the Holy Family hid before their flight into Egypt, after Herod ordered the murder of all infant boys.
The proper name of the church is the Chapel of the Milk Grotto of Our Lady and it has been a place of worship since the Byzantine era. The current church was built by the Catholics in the 19th century.
According to tradition, while the Holy Family were sheltering here, a drop of Mary’s milk fell on the floor of the cave and whitened the stone.
Many people believe that a visit here aids fertility, and so the tiny five-meter-by-10-meter grotto is a favored pilgrimage destination for women who have trouble conceiving. The internal walls are covered with letters from past pilgrims.
Address: Milk Grotto Street, Bethlehem
4. Manger Square
Manger Square is the hub of modern Bethlehem, with cafés, restaurants, and souvenir stores all surrounding this central plaza.
The Church of the Nativity dominates the eastern side of the square, while the Mosque of Omar is on the western side.
Although the mosque is modern (built in 1860), it has a lovely story attached to its name. It’s named after the Caliph Omar whose Arab armies conquered Byzantine Jerusalem. After taking the city, he traveled here to Bethlehem and prayed inside the Church of the Nativity, declaring that Christians would be free to practice their faith and pray at this important Christian shrine.
