The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-12-23
BETHLEHEM FESTIVAL.
Features Attending Christmas
Celebration at the Birthplace
Of the Christ Child

Ihls Is great season in Bethlehem.
The picturesque old town where Christ
was born never forgets to do honor to
the Savior of mankind as surely az the
year rolls around.
10 this place, az the followers of Ma
homet flock to 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.
Pilgrimages are also made to grotto
near the Church Of the Nativity, which is
supposed to be the site of the palace of
justice where innumerable children were
slain by order of King Herod.
ihese piigr1mages are not lightly under
TAKEN. They began several weeks ago, and
even now the 5000 inhabitants of Bethle-
hem are enjoying a long, happy festival.
Many are the banquets, the social visits
and the joyous betrothals.
After the carnival there is fast, during
which there is no Standardization, no
pampering Of the flesh or love making. At
the end of the fast, which will close next
week, the Christmas ceremonies will take
place.
On Christmas eve the Christians in Jeru-
salem will gather together and flock out of
the city with their faces set for the
t Church ~, of the Nativity, in Bethlehem.
Wal AAdl CA uONu through Inc valley
OF Glhon, the old boundary between Ben
Jamin and Judah. They will see, as they
pass, the tree on which the traitor Judas
Is said to have hanged himself. and the
well out of which the wise men drew wa
ter after they had left Herod
Within their view will also be the con-
vent of Elijah, erected on the spot where
the prophet rested during his flight
from Jezebel. AS they come to the end of
their march the people of Bethlehem will
come out to meet them, and then, pre-
coded by gally attired, Manufacturing Ter
aids, and followed by an immense thrcng
Of men, women and children, they will
march toward the Church of the Nativity,
the Oldest monument of Christian archi-
lecture in the world.
There mass will be celebrated while
armed Turkish soldiers in full uniform of
red fezzes, blue jackets and baggy trousers
stand OH guard beside the altar and
around the brilliant silver star where
Christ is supposed to have lain in the man
ger.
This star CLEANS UP from the pavement
ana is the most conspicuous object i'll the
grotto. Lamps, the figures of many
saints and other ornaments are in this
grOtto, and in one corner are lamps which
are always kept burning.
Close by this altar are the manger and
another altar, Oh which the wise men are
SAID to have presented their gifts to
Christ. All these objects are considered
of inestimable value by the members of
the different church sects. and were it not
for the presence of Turkish soldiers it is
more than likely that disputes would arise
as to the right of proprietorship.
With this visit and mass in the grotto
the Christmas eve ceremonies end. On
Christmas day the regular Roman Catho-
nc service will be held in the same
church. and the remainder Of the day will
be spent in 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, ''Eerily, for us. as for so
many generations of our ancestors, this
has been a happy season.
During the visiting period an abundance
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 matr;-
mony. Cymbals are fayorite instruments
in the East, and there music is never
louder than during Christmas week in
Bethlehem.
With such music the pilgrims are well
coined. and the same music is heard COZ
tinual]y as long as the ceremonies last.
The Turkish soldiers who guard the holy
relics during the ceremonies are not mere
figure heads. That the members of the
various Christian scots i'll the East art
not over friendly to each other is well
known. and the soldiers are considered
absolutely essential to guard against all
outbreak of fana ticism.
The trouble lies in the fact that each
sect claims possession of the holy places,
and naturally regards any other sect
which worships in them as an interloper.
Thanks however, tn the vigilance of the
soldiers and the other authorities, no seri-
Gus outbreaks have ever arisen at this
season, and as the years pass there are
many indications that an amicable under
standing will be finally arrived at.