The Place of the Manger in the Grotto
We now stand in the grotto already described. Above us is the altar of the church, before us a recess where fifteen lamps are suspended, six belonging to the Greeks, five to the Armenians and four to the Latins. And in the floor of the recess a silver star is placed in the pavement of which are these words: “Hic de Virgine Maria Jesus Christus Natus est.” Here let all prejudices for the moment vanish, and let us observe the reverent manner of the worshipers. Whatever else they believe in they believe in Christ, the Babe, the Man, the Deity incarnate. May the world come to acknowledge him as the purest, kindest, broadest, most prudent and most consistent of all her teachers! And let our doubts vanish as we too pay tribute, not in light or incense, not in gifts of silver and gold, but in love and faith and vows of allegiance to his name, his testament, his commission and his service! This grotto belongs to no sect or denomination, it is the property of the Christian world, so that Christians of every name may come and recall the gift to humanity that here appeared in the form of a child. One of the Sultan’s soldiers is constantly on guard in this holy shrine to keep order among God’s crude and untrained children. In this passage another altar has been erected in commemoration of the children put to death by the command of Herod. Other passages lead to various caverns. Here is one where Jerome is buried.
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