BY LYDIA M. FINKELSTEIN.
Bethlehem, the birth-place of our Saviour, is situated about five miles from Jerusalem. It is customary for a great number of the residents of the Holy City, as well as the visitors, to spend Christmas-eve at Bethlehem, as the Roman Catholic Church celebrates it there with great pomp and ceremony. Most of those who belong to that Church go there as worshippers, while many others go simply as spectators of the ceremonies.
Those who intend to walk, as some prefer doing, set out in the morning or early part of the afternoon of the 24th of December, while such as ride never go before the afternoon, and keep on going till midnight. As there are neither coaches nor horse-cars running between these two places, people have to get there on donkeys, mules, camels, or horses, which animals are found in a large square situated in front of the Tower of David, near the Jaffa Gate, through which people usually go to Bethlehem. The muleteers and donkey-boys generally get a pretty accurate idea of the number to be accommodated by asking every one they meet if he intends going. They accordingly arrange their prices. It is best to secure one's steed betimes, lest one may be left to put up with a lame donkey or one-eyed horse. The animals that convey people in the early part of the afternoon have time to return and take another party.
The principal personage who sets out from Jerusalem is the Roman Catholic Patriarch, with his priests and monks, accompanied by the French Consul and suite in full-dress uniforms. This important procession leaves Jerusalem about one o'clock. First comes a cavalcade of mounted police, in uniforms of green braided with red, sent by the Turkish authorities; next Come the Kâwasèe, i.e., police allowed by the local government to every Consul and Patriarch as body-guards, usually dressed in the national colors of the Consulate to which they belong. Each carries a long, thick, silver-headed mace, the bottom of which, on such occasions, rests on their stirrups; then follows the Patriarch, gorgeously attired in his purple cloak and Cardinal's hat; alongside of him are the Bishops and Consul, followed by a long train of secretaries, interpreters attached to the Consulate, and monks and priests; lastly comes a long line of those who are ready to go at that hour, most of them mounted on horses, but some on donkeys, mules, and even camels. Everybody is in good spirits, laughing, chatting, and cracking jokes good-naturedly.
When this variegated procession nears Rachel's Tomb, which is situated on the Bethlehem road, it is met by hundreds of Bethlehemites of both sexes, all in holiday attire, who salute it with firing of guns and pistols, and with songs of welcome; then turning round, they head the procession, singing, drumming, firing, and clapping their hands. In this way they enter Bethlehem, and as they pass through the narrow streets they are greeted with acclamations of joy by all, and with songs of welcome from the windows by the women and children.
Three monasteries and the great complex Church of the Nativity are all under one roof, which covers the stable-cave where Christ was cradled. They all form a great fortress-like edifice, in front of which is a large open square, in which the Turkish soldiers in Zouave uniforms are now ranged on each side of the road through which the procession is going to pass. A procession of priests and monks from the monastery, wearing magnificent robes, and preceded by a large number of chanting choristers gayly attired in red and white garments, meets the Patriarch and company with songs of praise. All dismount, and enter through the low iron door into this fine large building, which was built in the eleventh century, and are met by the hospitable friars, who show the way to the dining saloon, where the long tables are set with tempting refreshments. After the travellers have refreshed themselves, their respective rooms are shown them.
The Church of the Nativity is a splendid high structure, and was first built by the Empress Helena in the fourth century. In the fifth century it was devastated; but it was restored by the Emperor Justinian in the year 630.
There are services going on all the evening, but the grand service begins about midnight. The church is brilliantly lit with thousands of wax tapers, and is so crowded that there is scarcely standing room, and almost every worshipper carries a lighted wax taper. During the service, which is conducted by the Patriarch, some monks appear, dressed in sheep-skins, representing the shepherds. Suddenly a song of glorious melody bursts out from the assembled crowd of priests—that grand and majestic strain the "Gloria."
The service continues till three o'clock in the morning, when it is ended by a procession, singing, headed by the Patriarch carrying a waxen image representing the Saviour in a golden crib, which is taken down into the grotto, i.e., the place or manger where it is supposed that Christ was born. This grotto is under the church, to which there are two descents; the one from the north side has a descent of sixteen steps, and the southern one has thirteen steps. Here there is a small low arch, over which can be seen, though somewhat defaced by time, a representation in mosaic of the birth of our Saviour, with which it was decorated by the Crusaders in the twelfth century. Around this arch, hanging almost to the ground, are fifteen gold lamps, which are kept burning night and day; four of them belong to the Roman Catholics, five to the Armenians, and six to the Greeks. A large marble slab covers the floor of the arched recess, in the middle of which is a round space displaying a stone of bluish color, which is said to be a jasper; this is surrounded by a large silver star, having this inscription on its broad border: "Hic de Virgine Maria Jesus Christus natus est." At a distance of about ten feet southeast from this arch a descent of three steps brings you into the Oratory of the Manger, which is about eight feet long by seven broad; here you see a manger hewn in the rock. At the east end of this oratory there is an altar dedicated to the Wise Men, for it is supposed to be the spot where they worshipped Jesus and offered Him their gifts. The roof and walls of the grotto are gracefully draped with crimson figured satin; the curtains are left open here and there, giving the spectator an opportunity to see the natural rock. Suspended from the ceiling are beautiful gold and silver lamps, which are always kept burning.
When the Patriarch descends into this grotto another ceremony is performed—laying the image into the manger and wrapping it in swaddling-clothes; then another beautiful strain of praise is sung, and the bells chime the glad tidings that a Saviour is born. The monks, and priests here turn and embrace each other, saying, "Peace! peace!" the assembled crowd do the same, and saying to each other, in the beautiful expression so natural to the Orientals, "Is S-alaam kul siné ou nahna s-almean," i.e., "Peace! peace!—may we be long spared to celebrate this great rejoicing!"