The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-12-20
THE TOMB OF CHRIST
Bethlehem is Gay Over the Approach Of the
Anniversary of Christ's Birth.
1t WILL Be A DAY OF FEAs1S AND FUN
Many Marriages VIII occur on Christ.
INNS Day ma Mirth md Good
Cheer viii EoiG Royal Swny-Thc
Tomb Guarded by Soldiers to Pre-.
vent Discussions Among the Sccts.

The picturesque old town of Bethe-
hem, where Christ was born, never for
gets to do honor to the Savior of man
kind as surely as the anniversary OF
His birth rolls around. TO this place,
as the followers of Mahomct flock 10
Mecca, the followers OF Christ come
annually OH the day of His nativity.
Here they kneel and pray and spend the
time in holy meditation.
P!!grimages are also made to q grotto
near the Church Of the Nativity. which
is supposed to be the site OF The palace
OF justice where innumevabIe children
were slain by order of King Herod.
These p!!grinages are not lightly I'M
dertaken. They began several weeks
ago. and even now the six thousand in
hab.tants of Bethlehem are enjoying q
long. happy festival. Many are the
banquets. the social visits and the joyous
be rothals.
Al Ell the carnival there is fast,
during which there Is no self glorlf1ca-
ton. no pampcr.ng Of the flesh or love
making At the end of the fast, which
VIII close next week. the Christmas
ceremonies will take place.
THE PILGRIMS MARCH.
Next Thursday, Christmas Eve, the
Chris ,ians IN Jerusalem will gather to-
gether and fock out of the city with
their faces set for the Church of the
Nativity. in Bethlehem. They will
march down through the Valley of
Gihon, the old boundary between Ben
1amin and judah. They will see, as
they pass. the tree on which the traitor
Judas is sad to have hanged himself
and the we'll out of which the wise, men
drew water after they had left Herod.
Within their view will also be the
Convent Of Elijah, erected on the spot
where the prophe. rested during his
flight from Iazebei. = S they come to the
end Of their march the people of Bethle-
hem Will come out TO meet them, and
then, preceded by gayiy attired wand
bearing heralIs, and followed by an i'm
mense ,hrong of men, women and chill
dren. they VII march toward the Church
of the Nativity, the Oldest monument
OF Christian architecture IN the world.
There mass Will be celebrated while
of red feZzes. blue Jackets and baggy
trousers. stand on guard beside the altar
and around he brilliant silver star.
where Christ Is supposed 10 have lain in
the Manager.
This star CLEANS up from the pave
ment and is the most conspicuous object
IN the Srotto Lamps, the figures of
many saints. and other ornaments are in
this Ito, and In one corner are lamps
which are always kept burning.
GUARDED BY SOLDIERS.
Close BY this altar are the manger
and another altar, on which the wise
men are said to heve presented their
gifts to Christ. All these objects are
considered of inestimablc value by tho
members of the different church sects,
and were it not for the presence of Tur-
kish soldiers Il is more than likely that
#. q IL
propr!etorshp.
With his visit and mass in the grotto
the Christmas Eve ceremonies end. Cs
Christmas Day the regular Roman
Catholic service will be held in the same
church, and the remainder of the day
VIII be spent i'll merry making.
During the evening friends will visit
each other and exchange courtesies. The
spirit of peace and JOY will brood over
the old town, and when the ceremonies
end the Christians Of Bethlehem may
say TO themselves: Verify, for us as
for so many generations of our ances-
tors this has been happy season."
CONTINUAL MUSIC.
During the visiting period an abund-
ance of coffee. SWeetmeats and tobacco
will be consumed. and many young men
and maids who became betrothed before
the fast Will be Joined In the bonds of
matrimony. CymDals are favor.te in
strumcnts in the East and their music
is never louder than during Christmas
week in Bethlehem.
With such music the pilgrims are wei
coined and the same music Is heard con-
Snually as long as the ceremonies last.
The Turkish soldiers who guard the holy
relics during he ceremonies are not
mere fgureheads. That the members of
the various Christian sects in the East
are not over friendly to each other is well
known, and the soldiers are considered
absolutely essential to guard against an
outbreak Of fanat cisn.
The trouble lies in the fact that each
sect claims possession Of the holy places,
and naturally regards any other sect
which wofships in them rs an .nterloper.
Thanls. however, to the vigilance of the
soldiers and the other authorities no
ser Gus outbreaks have ever arisen at
this season, and as the years pass there
arc many indications that an AMIGA bic
un4er5tanding will be finally arrived at.