CHURCH BUILDING
Nativity of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church
Beit Jala · Greek Orthodox
- Locality
- Beit Jala
- Tradition
- Greek Orthodox
- Type of place
- CHURCH BUILDING
- Coordinates
- 31.71504° N, 35.18712° E
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History: Nativity of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church
The Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos, also known as the Virgin Mary church, was inaugurated in 1862 in central Beit Jala. The Jerusalem Patriarchate places this Greek Orthodox parish church on the town's main street. Its dedication celebrates Mary's birth, and the Patriarchate records celebrations of this feast here. It is a separate church from Beit Jala's Saint Nicholas and cemetery church of Archangel Michael.
An interesting detail
A stone preserved inside is associated in local tradition with Mary taking shelter during the Holy Family's flight from Herod; the Patriarchate presents this as a tradition, not an authenticated relic.