UNDER THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM

The little town of Bethlehem is located seven kilometers from Jerusalem. And though his story is old, it was noticeable among the other cities of Israel. When the patriarch Jacob was with his family from Bethel, at some distance from Ephratah his wife Rachel gave birth to her son Benjamin. She herself died and was buried on the road to Ephrath, which is in Bethlehem. Jacob set up a monument over her grave, which now can be seen in the valley of Bethlehem, although he has quite a different view.

At the division of the Promised Land among the 12 tribes of Israel under Joshua Bethlehem with some other cities had been given to the tribe of Judah. In Bethlehem, lived and Jesse, who had eight sons. When the prophet Samuel came the command from God to choose the family of Jesse King to Israel, the prophet came to Bethlehem, and sacrificed on the orders of God secretly anointed king David - youngest son of Jesse. In Bethlehem, King David spent his childhood years. This was the king and the prophet was promised by God that his tribe would be born the Savior of the world.

However, the descendants of King David continued to reign in Jerusalem, and hardly any of them lived in Bethlehem. Therefore, no one thought that in this great city will be born a descendant of King David in the flesh, the son of God - by the Divine. But the prophet Micah opened to the Jews, that the birthplace of the Savior would be Bethlehem, and prophetically turned to the city: "And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, you are small among the clans of Judah? of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from everlasting "(Book of Micah, 5:2). It was 700 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, but sensitive to the predictions of the Jews remember the words of the prophet Micah, and have no doubt that the Savior born in Bethlehem.

Flying the years passed the century, during which time the city has been repeatedly invaded and devastation. During the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Bethlehem residents were evicted from the city and scattered in Babylon. And no one could point to the kind of descendants of Jesse, from whom one might expect the birth of the Savior in Bethlehem. Of course the tribe of King David later lost power in the West: the numerous descendants of his, even though they knew about their origins from the king′s, were very poor and lived longer in Bethlehem, and were scattered throughout the land of Judah.

But the time has come to the Savior′s birth, ordained by God. In far from Rome, the Jews decided to rewrite all the subjects, and the Jews, the divine values its division into 12 tribes, valued and their origins. Therefore, the elder Joseph, a poor descendant of King David, and the Virgin Mary, who belonged to the same genus by his father, Joachim, have had to go to Bethlehem - inscribed among the descendants of David.

They arrived in Bethlehem later in the evening and could not find a place to sleep, because on the occasion of the census was a lot of visitors and all hotel rooms were scarce.

Photo — «Under The Star
of Bethlehem»

In biblical times, the desert stretched around Bethlehem where shepherds graze their sheep and goats. To hide from the rain and heat, the shepherds were cut down in the rock caves, in which their flocks were driven in bad weather. That′s one of these caves, the so-called "Den", and found shelter on Christmas Eve Holy Family. And here in this cave, the Blessed Virgin Mary had a son - God promised Savior of the world. Mother of God loins baby and put him in a manger on hay.

It was a quiet, clear night. All had been sleeping around, no one knew or even guessed what happened. Not only were sleeping shepherds guarding their flocks near Bethlehem. Suddenly he was an angel of the Lord, surrounded by unseen light. The shepherds were frightened, but the angel said to them: "Do not be afraid, I bring you great joy for all people. In Bethlehem was born the Savior promised by God in the world. You will find the baby, swaddled and lying in a manger. " Suddenly in the sky, a host of other angels, who praised God and sang: "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and good will toward men. "

When the angels disappeared, the shepherds said to one another: "Let′s go to Bethlehem and see what happened there and what we were told the angels. " They hurried to the city and found a cave in the Infant Christ lying in a manger, and worshiped him as God. A mother told him about what happened in the field.

Above this cave in 326 AD the Byzantine Empress Helena erected the temple of "Christmas", and two centuries later the Emperor Justinian expanded and decorated it. Since then, the main outlines of the temple and its architecture, great changes are not produced, as evidenced by the pilgrims, and in his many descriptions of different times. Church of the Nativity of Christ "remains the only church in Palestine, which for now nearly seventeen centuries, has not undergone any significant damage: during all this time, it is continuously committed worship.

In the temple of "Christmas" once fought three inputs, then two of them sealed (these traces are visible and are still). But the remainder of the entrance was too broad, because it was difficult to defend during enemy raids. Therefore, in the entrance left only a narrow passage, and all the rest of the space laid the stones. At present, the width of the last entry may be judged from preserved oval end of the portal. Inside the temple is divided by four rows of columns of pink granite with Corinthian capitals of five naves. The columns and walls of the house visible remnants of paintings on biblical subjects, made more by the Byzantines.

The left and right of the altar with splendid iconostasis are narrow stairs that lead to the "Cave of the Nativity" in which the Virgin Mary gave birth to the divine infant. The area of the cave is 32 square meters, and it is all marble. In a shallow recess of the temple made a little altar on the floor in front of him built into a silver star with the sacred inscription in Latin: "Here the Virgin Mary is born Jesus Christ.

Photo — «Under The Star
of Bethlehem»

" This star of more than 2000 years ago, pointed the way east sages - the wise men, who also came to worship Jesus Christ. She led them during their long journey, and stopped just above the place, over which is hanging lamps of different religious faiths. Every believer wants to touch that star, or even to touch her hand. A few steps away from the star, three steps lead to the grotto where the manger of the Christ - a small niche in the wall of a grotto where the Virgin laid the Son.

Near the church "Christmas" is a Franciscan Monastery, situated on the spot where in biblical times was the house of Joseph the carpenter. Not far from it - the church of St. Catherine, where the chapel "innocent souls" - the place where the order of King Herod killing babies and throwing them into the well.

The only place in Bethlehem, which can be associated with the name of King David - a courtyard and a well renowned king. Previously they were located at one of the narrow streets of the city and were surrounded by a wall. From this well fetched water for the King David when he fought with the Philistines at Rafaimskoy plain. Now this place is a Greek monastery, founded by the Byzantines in the VI century Here you can also visit the catacombs - underground burial of the monks who lived in this monastery.

To the east of the Church of the Nativity "is street" Milky grotto. On this street is a Franciscan church, erected over the cave where the Virgin Mary, Divine breast-feeding a baby, dropped a few drops of milk on the black stone, immediately after it make a white. Since then, it is believed that this stone has a miraculous power. This is often visited by his mother, to beg, abundant food for their children.

The word "Bethlehem" means "place of bread", and this is the most suitable name for the place where the Son of God has appeared, which was the living bread descended from heaven.

The historical region in the middle reaches of the Nile - from the Aswan in the north to the Sudanese city of Dubbo in the south - called Nubia. The name probably derives from the ancient Egyptian word "nuba," which means "gold" Adjacent to the Nile is really low rocky mountains abound auriferous quartz from which even in ancient times learned to extract the precious metal.

For the ancient Egyptian Nubia, with its narrow coastal plain was a kind of "gateway to Africa. " When the Egyptian state was flourishing, cops seized Nubia, when Egypt was weakened, the Nubians rose up and regaining independence. In the VIII-VII centuries BC, the Nubians even themselves in the XXV dynasty rulers of Egypt and ruled the country for half a century. Then in Nubia flourished for centuries in the state capitals Kusche, Napata and Meroe.

Excavations in the valley Mussavarat al-FRMS helped researchers lift the veil of secrecy over the history of the ancient state of Meroe - the once vast and powerful. It made many discoveries, in particular, excavated and studied the rulers of Kush pyramids, however, had already plundered in ancient times, found the complex underground tunnels that led to the shrines of queens .

Photo — «Under The Star
of Bethlehem»

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English historian B. Davidson described this city, poorly understood even today: "The Meroe and its surrounding areas are preserved ruins of palaces and temples, which are the product of a civilization that flourished more than 2000 years ago. And around the ruins, still retains its former grandeur, burial mounds are those who created these palaces and temples . . . Walls of red basalt, covered with mysterious inscriptions, fragments of white alabaster bas-reliefs that once adorned the magnificent castles and temples, painted pottery shards, stone, still have not lost their bright patterns - all signs of a great civilization. Here and there are sadly abandoned granite statues of Amon-Ra . . . and the wind of the desert is a cloud over them brown-yellow sand. "

The first century in the history of Kush were associated more with the Egyptian domination: the royal house of aristocrats and priests largely took over the Egyptian customs and fashions, although, according to I. Mazheika, these alien traditions are unlikely to penetrate deeply into Cushitic society. It not only ethnically different from the Egyptian, but studies of its population were different: the Nubians were not connected with the river, as the Egyptians from the Nile, a large part of their territory represented by the savanna on which they are engaged in cattle breeding.

By about 800 BC, the weak dynasty of Egyptian pharaohs XXII were forced to give Kushu independence. The capital of the state became the city Napata - the center of the cult of the god Amun, whom Kushits depicted in the image of a ram. Shortly Cushitic kings themselves have begun to move north, they fought in the southern Prefectures of Egypt. Conquest series began Pianhi king, who displayed a skillful military leader: he had found weaknesses in enemy defenses, went into an alliance with warring among themselves nomarhami not forgetting to honor the Egyptian priests.

After winning an Egyptian pharaoh, Cushite king and founded XXV, "Ethiopian" Dynasty. But soon their dominion in Egypt was interrupted by the Assyrians, armed with iron spears and swords, against which the bronze and stone tools of the Egyptians and Kushits were powerless. However, the Assyrians did not chase them up the Nile, and, thus, Kushits retained their independence.

One and a half millennium yellow desert sands conceal the ruins of the city Meroe - the capital of the mysterious Nubian "kingdom of Meroe. " On this city the Greeks and Romans learned in the I millennium BC, when Meroe became the capital of Nubia, instead located north Napata. However, the questions "Why was transferred to the capital? When it happened exactly and what the past history of the city? "- Ancient historians do not give an answer. Only crumbs of information about Meroe brought us the works of Greek and Roman writers. Known, for example, that the territory of the city of Meroe was called "the island of Meroe, which had the shape of the shield. On the cards he was portrayed in the form of a circular plot of land, surrounded on all sides by tributaries of the Nile.

Photo — «Under The Star
of Bethlehem»

From Meroe to Rome several times went to the embassy, but envoys and merchants reported the Romans only fragmentary information about their distant homeland. Also known is the fact that the Emperor Nero in the I century sent to Nubia their officers, who managed to penetrate "beyond Meroe. Received intelligence information the famous geographer and naturalist Pliny the Elder reproduced in his work "Natural History". In it, he, in particular, reports of the Governing Nubia queen with a mysterious, inherited the name "Candace, located in the city of Temple, dedicated to the Egyptian sun god Amun. With apparent surprise, said Pliny the small size of the city, and then follows a very remarkable phrase: "However, this island, when the Ethiopians have made the state, enjoyed great fame, saying that he could put 250,000 soldiers and four gave refuge to thousands of artists. "

Back in 1822, in the place where the descriptions should have been at Meroe, scientists have discovered the ruins of a large city. But say with absolute certainty that it was Meroe, was difficult, as no ancient author has not indicated the precise boundaries of the kingdom. Only a century later it was found that mentioned by ancient authors Meroe was on the right bank of the main channel of the Nile - on the territory of which the south-west is limited to the Blue Nile, and from the northeast - the river Atbara. However, this area is not circular in shape (as was thought in ancient times), and square.

In the early 1920′s archaeologists have only studied the royal tombs and temples, and only in the middle of XX century on the territory of Meroe began a systematic and planned excavations. Centuries of sand to conceal the history of the ancient kingdom, but he and preserved it for us.

In the spring of 1960 in the hot sands of the Nubian Desert worked German archaeological expedition. When scientists headed by Professor F. Hintze came to the valley Mussavarat al-FRMS, they saw that among the sea of sand sticking only to the tops of the columns so scattered in disarray stone blocks. However, during the exploratory excavations, scientists have discovered the ruins of temples, tombs and some other structures. Then the work began in the "Temple of the lions, which was so named because it was in the sacred statues of the lion. Here archaeologists have found cartouches depicting Arnekamani king, whom they considered the founder of the "Temple of lions. Preserved and a large number of inscriptions, drawings and relief images adorning the stone blocks of which was built this ancient temple. No wonder the name of the valley translates as "place, decorated with images.

"Temple of lions" in Meroe on lvinogolovomu god of war and fertility Apedemaku, by assumption, Hinz, was destroyed by some sudden catastrophe, so scientists had to reconstruct it piece on one of the other boulders weighing tons. When the work was finished, in front of them presented itself a great rectangular structure, almost entirely covered with relief images and inscriptions.

Photo — «Under The Star
of Bethlehem»

At one of the reliefs of the god Apedemak depicted with a bow in his hand on the rope he is a prisoner.

Special impression grand reliefs 15 meters long, depicting the king and crown prince before God Apedemakom, as well as statues of lions, which once welcomed all entrances to the temple. In its artistic execution of these reliefs and statues in no way inferior to the Egyptian or Babylonian-Assyrian, so that the words of Pliny about the "four thousand artists, apparently, were not far from reality. Inside the "Temple of lions" had been found a lot of gold leaf, which was assumed by scientists, were covered by internal columns of the temple.

At 30 kilometers from Meroe lie the majestic ruins of the palace of one of the rulers of Kush. German archaeologists have studied and hafir "- a round tank for collecting rainwater. This giant tank with a diameter of about 250 and a depth of 10 meters could provide water at least 300,000 people. "Hafir was faced with stone and surrounded by a fortress wall. Scientists have suggested that he was inside the fortified refuge in the event of prolonged siege could have been preserved as a precious supply of water. Exploring the area around the "hafira, German archaeologists have discovered and water-supply network - canals and stone underground pipes. The remains of the irrigation system, suggest that around the palace lay the cultivated fields and green trees give shade and coolness of stone terraces.

Some scientists believe that Meroe was the capital of the Cushite kingdom is in the IV century BC. However, I. Mozheiko suggested that this occurred only at the turn of our era, based on the fact that by that time the tombs of queens, goddesses begin to build it in Meroe, but not in Napata. He thinks that perhaps one reason for moving the capital has become a desert, which is nearer and nearer to Napata.

However, in this regard, there are other versions. For example, since the time of Pliny believed that in Nubia during its heyday dominated Egyptian religion, and particularly enjoyed the influence of the priests of the god Amon. Oracles of God in Napata even called "the highest state authority" because they depended on the final decision of many public issues.

Inscriptions and reliefs "Lions of the Temple, built between 235 and 221 years before our era, showed that the flowering of Meroe was connected with the cult of the god Apedemaka. According to him all other gods, even the Egyptian, occupied a subordinate position. Thus, for the "rivalry" of the gods Amon and Apedemaka hiding the very real social relationships. Therefore, scientists and suggested that moving the capital of the Cushite Apas in Meroe linked to the struggle against the priests of the god Amun, and a sign of this struggle was the glorification of the cult of the national god Apedemaka.