The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1909-12-24
Scenes in the
Holy Land.

On the gentle slopes Of the Mt. o.
Olives, overlooking the Holy City
stands a picturesque church. called
the Church Of the Three Marys.
The peculiar architecture-thC
many white dooms and g~litterins
crosses-characteristic of churches in
Moscow, proclaim it at once a Greek
church. TIE chief interest in this edi
flee lies in some exquisite paintings
which adorn it's walls. They are the
work of a Russian artist. The site is
~consecrated to the memory Of the
three Marys of gospel history, and the
artist has depicted within this place
of worship all the various scenes in
the lives of these three devout women
who were so closely associated with
the birth, life and death of Christ.
The church stands on a most appro-
pirate site. 1t rises above the Holy
City where Christ spent days in teach
ing and healing. 1t is situated half
way on the road from Jerusalem to
Bethany--the home of Mary, the sis
ter of Lazarus. From it's spacious
outer stairway and wide balcony above
the dwelling place of the resident
priest, n has a magnificent view
of the road leading to Bethlehem,
where the Virgin Mary was visited
by the shepherds on that wonderful
night of the birth of her Holy Child.
The crosses on the southern cupolas
point to Bethlehem, those Of the north
to Galilee, where Mary Magdalene first
met the Savior and became henceforth
one Of His most faithful followers
unto His death and resurrection.
AS one gazes on these paintings
ones mind travels In imagination TO
the various places connected with a
history so strange, so stirring, SO filled
with joyful tidings and scenes Of
pathos, ending in what has well been
termed the worlds greatest tragedy.
We recall that night 1000 years ago
when Joseph and Mary arrived in Beth
lehem, weary with the long journey
from Nazareth-the home Of Mary
and unable to find a fitting place Of
rest for the gentle maiden who was
to be the means Of bringing Joy into
the world. The event which took
place that night, heralded by celestial
music and announced by the angels
only to the humble shepherds watch
ing their locks in the fields around
Bethlehem, and by the appearance of
the star in the East to the Majii of
the far Orient, is to-day the subject
of deepest thought, devotion and con-
troversy all over Christendom.
The site where, in the silence of
night and in the obscurity of a stable
below the inn, the greatest event in
the history of the world took place,
unknown and unnoticed by the many
visitors in Bethlehem, who, like Mary,
came to be taxed in their native town,
is to-day the goal of Christians Of all
tongues and from all climes.
ERECTED MAGNIFICENT CHURCH.
Over the sacred site of the Nativity
Queen Helena, the mother of the great
Constantine, erected in 327 A.. D. q
magnificent church in order 10 com
memorate the spot where the mangel
stood in which lay Mary's wondrous
Babe.
On Christmas Eve thousands Of
Christians, from all parts of the world
gather here as pilgrims to WORSHIP
the Babe of Bethlehem on the very
site where he was born. Bethlehem
the little town to which the wise mer
came to visit the Christ child, is to
day a quaint old village, situated OF
the hillside above the valley wher,
Bedouins led their sheep to pastur,
in the Fields of the Shepherds" A
one approaches 1t on the road from
Jerusalem it is singularly picturesque
It's white limestone houses, with fla
roofs, rising one above the other an,
clinging to the hillside, surrounded b,
olive groves and vineyards, are sui
mounted by the massive walls of tn
ancient convent and church which Civ
to the town its wonderful interest an
makes it the goal of pilgrims fror
all directions of the compass. Th
basilica in the church is perhaps tn
Oldest monument Of Christian arch
lecture in the world. The shafts Q
the 40 columns which support 1t
fine architecture and its decaying roc
are each of a single peace of marbl
more than two feet in diameter an
sixteen feet high. They are SUI,
rounded by deliberately carved cap
tails. The upper parts of the column
are faded, frescoed with Greek an
Byzantine figures of saints. The co
umns are taken from the ancient ten
pie in Jerusalem. These and th