Bethlehem
| Bethlehem | |
|---|---|
| |
| Country | State of Palestine |
| Region | West Bank |
| Settled | 1400 BC |
| Population | 28,591 |
| Area (sq mi) | 4.097 sq mi |
| Population density (/sq mi) | 7,000 sq mi |
| Current mayor | Hanna Hanania |
| Demonym | Bethlehemi |
| Co-ordinates | 31°42′16″N 35°12′23″E |
Bethlehem meaning "House of Bread" is a town of the West Bank, 5 miles south of Jerusalem and just off the main road to Hebron. It is surrounded by fertile lands, cornfields, fig and olive yards and vineyards. Bethlehem does not have a great supply with water, though for many centuries the a low level aqueduct from Solomon's Pools has been used by the inhabitants. Bethlehem was the birthplace of Jesus Christ[1][2] and the location of Herod's "massacre of the innocents".[3]
In 2012 the Church of the Nativity, the site where Jesus was born and undoubtedly one of the most important locations on earth, was finally deemed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO a whole 36 years after World Heritage Sites began getting named.[4]
Hanna Hanania, the mayor of Bethlehem, is Christian as the mayor of Ramallah, Issa Kassis, also is.[5]
See also
- State of Palestine#Christian minority
- Arafat and continuing Islamic anti-Christian campaign in Bethlehem
References
- ↑ Matthew 2:1-5
- ↑ Luke 2:4-25
- ↑ Matthew 2:8-16
- ↑ UNESCO: Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route in Bethlehem, Palestine, inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List along with sites from Israel, Palau, Indonesia and Morocco June 29, 2012
- ↑ Christian Palestinians Are Facing Memoricide…And Possible Extinction. Scene Now (December 25, 2023).
External links
- http://scriptures.lds.org/en/biblephotos/7 Photographs of Scriptural Sites: Bethlehem, scriptures.lds.org