Our first stop was in Bethlehem, where we reviewed the excavation remains of a third-century monastery and celebrated a Spiritual Holy Mass in a small cave beneath the Good Shepard Church.
From there, we were all deeply moved by visiting the Church of the Nativity, where Luke 2:7 describes how Mary" bought forth her firstborn son."
We also could view the original floors of the First Church constructed (by St. Helen, Emperor Constantine's mother) in the 4th century. Right next door is St.Catherine's church, which was closed.
We then drove the same path Mother Mary traveled to visit her cousin Saint Elizabeth and toured St John the Baptist Church, the Church of the Annunciation; the latter possessed the most beautiful Frescos we've seen thus far.
