Amman: Years of careful restoration work at the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank city of Bethlehem has revealed a priceless trove of artifacts, relics and artifacts unseen centuries ago.
Christians believe that Jesus Christ was born on the site where the church now stands – an event that is celebrated every year on 25 December. As such, Bethlehem and the church itself are considered places of pilgrimage by Christians around the world.
The COVID-19 pandemic may have curtailed the long lines of pilgrims and tourists over the past two years, but those lucky enough to attend may have noticed significant changes at the site since renovations began.
Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2012, a church was first completed on the site in 339. The building, which replaced it after a fire in the sixth century, retains the elaborate floor mosaics from the original building.
Thanks to many years of sensitive restoration work, many hidden details have been revealed for the first time in centuries, including original stonework, elaborate ornamentation, and valuables lost over time.
Renovation work began in 2013 after a generous donation from Palestinian philanthropist Saeed Khoury, who during a visit saw rainwater seeping into the church through a fallen roof.
Determined to do something to protect the site, Khouri, then president of the Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC), met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss the matter and donated half a million dollars to begin restoration. Gave.
The Presidential Committee for the Restoration of the Church of the Nativity was established and soon, donations were pouring in from around the world to support the renovation.
An international tender was created with the help of the CCC to ensure the renovation works to the highest standards in order to protect the Church’s World Heritage status.
Bethlehem Development Foundation CEO Mazen Karam told Arab News: “The Italian firm that won the tender, Piacenti, has been specialist restorers for three generations and has worked according to specifications set by UNESCO.”
Karam and his foundation colleagues, which raise funds and oversee the renovation work, are thrilled by the number of new discoveries made during the restoration. These included a beautiful, hand-crafted stained glass lamp.
The restoration team also discovered a baptismal font hidden under a layer of marble, and uncovered an angel on the north wall of the basilica, which was covered with plaster.
“The angel is one of many amazing discoveries we’ve seen in the church once the renovation process begins,” Karam said.
Another great surprise was the discovery of the building’s original door, now faithfully restored, which is believed to have been gifted to the church by an Armenian king.
Tour guides encourage visitors to view the church after dark from the direction of Manger Square to experience the full effect of the new light installed between its restored walls.
Upon entering the church, visitors pass through the Gate of Humility – a stone entrance that was purposely built with a low ceiling that forces worshipers to bow in reverence.
Once inside, visitors can fully appreciate the tireless effort that has gone into restoring the high ceilings, pillars, walls and paintings.
Perhaps most importantly, the restoration has stopped the scourge of rain damage. The last time the roof was majorly repaired was in 1480 during the Mamluk period. “Now we can say with confidence that this limit will hold good for the next 1,000 years,” Karam said.
During repairs, the entire roof was covered with 1,625 square meters of new lead sheeting and about 8 percent of its timber trusses were replaced with ancient wood brought in from Italy, steel to protect the basilica from seismic activity. was reinforced with connectors.
QuickFact
The church’s roof was last repaired for the last time in 1480 during the Mamluk period.
UNESCO removed the church from the list of World Heritage in Danger in 2019.
So far the restoration has cost around $15m, but a further $2.8m is needed.
All 42 wooden window frames of the church were replaced and fitted with UV-deflecting double glazing. Approximately 3,365 square meters of internal plastering, 3,076 square meters of exterior stone façade, and 125 square meters of wall mosaics were renovated, consolidated and cleaned, while 50 stone columns were restored and repainted.
Such was the success and quality of the restoration work that UNESCO removed the Church of the Nativity from its list of World Heritage in Danger in 2019.
The Bethlehem Development Foundation said it was particularly grateful for the “extremely professional and respectful” support of the Presidential Committee and the Palestinian Government, which ensured that resources and expertise were made available.
So far, the restoration work has cost about $15 million. However, repairs are not yet complete, and an estimated $2 million in additional funding will be needed to complete this phase of the project.
Work completed to this day includes the restoration of the sixth-century marble tiles for Bema in front of the Orthodox iconostasis and the transept to the south.
Projects so far funded include preservation of the front-yard stone tiles, installation of a firefighting system and microclimate control, structural consolidation in the north and south corners of the basilica, consolidation of its outer southern wall against seismic activity, and restoration of the central nave.
Perhaps the most sensitive part of the church that has yet to be refurbished is the Grotto of the Nativity, an underground place where Christians believe Jesus was born. The exact location is marked by a silver star.
The foundation said the grotto is in urgent need of repair, which would have cost an estimated $2.8 million, withstood centuries of earthquakes, fires, and wear and tear to host millions of visitors.
However, it is not entirely a matter of money. Given its religious importance, any work on the grotto must first be approved by the three churches that protect the site – Orthodox, Catholic and Armenian.
The restoration of the site could also deny pilgrims and tourists access to the grotto for up to eight months.
“The grotto will need several things before we can start work on it,” the foundation told Arab News. “We need the approval of the three churches and we expect this to require a further $2.8 million and that all work, including the grotto, can be completed by 2023 if the necessary funding is secured.”
One solution the church, Bethlehem Municipality and the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism want to see is a phased restoration that allows scheduled prayer and some visits to the grotto.
Karam said this approach would make the Church of the Nativity a place of worship and a place of historical curiosity for people of all faiths and denominations, while it is undergoing renovation.
“Your visit will help keep it alive as a testimony to the living church and prevent it from turning into a museum,” he said.
,