As early as the third century AD, this site was designated Jesus' birthplace. Emperor Constantine built a basilica with its altar centred over the grotto in the early 4th century. About 200 years later, Emperor Justinian erected the current basilica over the ruins of the earlier one. Stone steps lead to the nativity scene. Shaped like the Star of Bethlehem, an opening in the floor marks the site where Mary gave birth to Jesus.
Visitors cram the entrance.
The grotto's ambiance shifts from sacred to touristy, depending on the individuals inside. One minute, a smiling woman poses like a beauty queen in front of the star-shaped opening for the photo she'll show folks back home. The next minute, a believer prayerfully kneels on the stone floor and holds a religious relic over the aperture to be blessed. As I approach the nativity scene, I am filled with awe and reverence. I kneel on the cold marble slab.