Holy Land Pilgrimage Day One – D Monday November 5 th, 2012

Back to the courtyard of the Church of the Nativity

Another Name for Jerome

Lived 347 – 420 A.D.

In his little chapel, Jerome translated the Bible into the language of the masses: Latin.

What Martin Luther did in translating the Bible into German for Germany, Jerome did on a larger scale for the whole Roman empire when he translated the Bible into Latin.

Legend says that Jerome (Hieronymus) always kept a skull with him to remind him that his life was very short to get a lot of work done.

The descent into Joseph’s Grotto and Jerome’s Grotto.

OIKOS -- DWELLING Matthew 2:11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

The Magi visited Joseph and Mary in their DWELLING. Tradition states that Joseph turned the Grotto Cave into a home for his new family.

The altar is about 6 to 7 feet above the area believed to be where Joseph received his vision.

If you follow this curving hallway around, you come to the place where Jesus was born.

The other side of the door that takes you to where Jesus was born.

Enclosed area of birth Enclosed area of Joseph’s dream. Jerome’s expanded grotto. Holy Innocents’ grave. Stairways that have been made.

One can see how an original cave saw progressional building over time.

Joseph would have received his warning here to flee to Egypt.

Joseph’s Grotto was made a chapel.

Jerome wanted to live as close as possible to Jesus’ birthplace. This is his grotto where he wrote the Latin Bible.

Where vision occurred.

Our Lord was born towards the front of the cave. Residence was set up further back. This makes sense. Joseph would have been unfamiliar with his surroundings at first.

St. Jerome’s tomb until his remains were brought to Rome.

Jerome had a new entrance put in.

Paula and daughter, Eustochium, are shown. They helped create a school and hospice in Bethlehem. Also shown are Jerome and Eusebius. Eusebius was Jerome’s successor.

Historicity of Church of Nativity Reliability: 9 out of 10. Romans placed shrine to Adonis at the site and tried to desecrate it. Exact place of birth: 1 out 10. Early Christians used graffiti to mark places, but who really knows?