Bethlehem

Bethlehem scenes, Shepherd's fields, Hebron, monk at Abu Ghosh in the crypt and organ and fresco in the church.
Thursday Nov 13th. To Bethlehem passing through the appalling wall which is unfinished but causes so much suffering and many people have left Bethlehem. To Church of the Nativity through the little door. It is a Greek Orthodox and Armenian building. We descended to the grotto to see the star at the "birthplace" and manger. Saw a beautiful Armenian thurible and mosaics under the floor. The adjoining chapel is Catholic and has statues of Jerome who lived here and St George. To Mass in a cave at Shepherd's Fields. The 1954 church has fine paintings and bells.
To Hebron to visit the graves of the patriarchs in a synagogue. The adjoining mosque was closed. Security was tight. The tombs of Abraham, Jacob, Leah and Rachel. This was a building originally built by Herod the Great, then it became a crusader church and now 2 mosques with a synagogue within it! The Palestinian authority is divided into A,B and C areas. A is Palestinian authority, B and C controlled by Israeli army. Israelis cannot go into A. There are conservative Jews living in Qiryat Arba who cause trouble. On return to Bethlehem we were pleased to be able to spend travellers cheques and cash on lots of gifts and have lunch. We were very warmly welcomed.
At Abu Ghosh which is one of 4 possible Emmaus sites we went to Vespers in French in a Crusader church above a spring given to the 10th legion by Vespasian. Lovely frescoes.