Bethlehem is the place where Christ was born and it is known as the Holy Land. Travelers from all over the world come here during the Christmas period for pilgrimage. There is a grotto in Bethlehem, with a 14-pointed Silver Star, where Christ is supposed to have been born. As many as three Christmas Eves are celebrated in the Holy Land. The first lies on December 24, celebrated by the Protestant and Catholic churches. Another Christmas Eve is celebrated by the Greek Orthodox, Coptic (Egyptian) and Syrian churches, and the third one is celebrated by the American church. There are times when all the three Christmas Eve services go on in different sections of the church, in different languages.
Christmas Celebrations In The Holy Land
The traditional Christmas lunch in the Holy Land includes delicacies such as turkey, spiced with pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg and stuffed with rice, meat, pine nuts and almonds. The Protestants go around and sing Christmas carols on Christmas Eve. They visit the church on Christmas and spend the day with their family and friends. Children open their presents in the morning, before breakfast. In the Catholic churches, priests bless everyone with holy water and all the family members take a sip of the holy water, to be blessed by the mighty God.
Epiphany is very important in the Holy Land, in which a special church service is held. A cross is dipped in water, so as to bless it and then, the people take this water to their homes. They take three sips of this Holy water before eating anything. In Bethlehem, Christmas is a solemn ritual and believers from across the globe gather in the Holy Land to commemorate the day when God had taken birth between them. They pass by the revered tomb of Bethlehem after entering the holy town and visit the famous church of Nativity.