The Star of Bethlehem, with 14 points, in the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem
Our Journey To Bethlehem
By Martha Kouyoumdjian Mekaelian
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The year 2020 is indeed a year of 20 / 20 vision, and with that said, coupled with the Christmas season, I reflect on our journey to Bethlehem. No place on earth is as special or as religiously or historically significant as this “little town.”
At Manger Square we arrive at the Basilica of the Nativity, a massive cathedral, which resembles a medieval fortress, built upon the spot where Jesus was born. The greatest and momentous fact recorded in world history took place here, in the Church of the Nativity. Why? because all the time lines of history look to this one occurrence. Everything looks either after His birth (A.D.) or before (B.C.); and unlike other events in Jesus life, which suggest various sites for the same event ( such as the location of the Last Supper or the Tomb of Christ), no other location has ever been established for His birth. Under the Central Altar we see the silver star commemorating the birth of Christ. The fourteen points of the star represent the fourteen stations of the Via Dolorosa --- correlating the beginning of Jesus life to the end of His life. Time stands still as I observe our group kneeling to kiss the Star of Bethlehem . . . each with his/her sense of solitude and reflection and with thoughts which become prayers. The significance, power, and love of the Miraculous Birth remain untouched in this Christian shrine which was miraculously spared from destruction over the centuries. I don’t know if I’ll ever witness this again, but this moment is what makes life worth living.