MILK GROTTO CHURCH OF THE VIRGIN MARY IN BETHLEHEM

MAGHARET AL SAYIDA MARIAM - GROTTO OF MARY MOTHER OF JESUS

This church was built by St. Paula, who lived in Bethlehem and died there in 404 A.D., this church was naturally dedicated to the Virgin Mary, but at one time was called St. Paula (either by mistake by the builder or for one of the numerous other churches built in Bethlehem by St. Paula). In the 14th Century this church was known as the Church of St. Nicholas, as shown in a Papal Bull of Gregory XI in 1375, authorizing the Franciscans to rebuild it, which was not then done. The Franciscans first took possession of the church sometime after 1347 after they became caretakers of the Sanctuary of the Nativity. The soft white stones in this church were exported to many European churches under the name of The Virgin's Milk. It was one of these relics that Gerard III, Bishop of Bethlehem, took to the camp of King Baldwin III during the siege of Ascalon in 1153.

The present building around the Grotto was put up by the Franciscans in 1872, some of the old church mosaics and traces of original walls remain to this day. The church was extensively rebuilt, remodeled, and adorned with marble and hand cut sculptures, benches, icons, and engravings by Issa A. Michael Hazboun and sons in 1934-1935. Another tradition going back to the VII century is located at this site and is the burial place of the innocent children which were the victims killed by Herod the Great after Jesus' birth.
The pictures shown below are brought to you courteousy of the Christus Rex Web site and Fr. Peter F. Vasko, president of the Francsican Foundation for the Holy Land and Ms. Madeleine Hazboun and Helen & Henry Salem. If you have more sources, pictures, documents, history, reference, or biographical information dealing with the Milk Grotto Church please email our webmaster and send us your information