The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-28
1.-THE spot on which Jesus Christ was


born. 4.
Standing lin. this hallowed place, /
read and feel in my soul the beautiful
account given by st. Luke fchapter
H., 10: "And it came to pass that in
those days there went out decree
from Caesar Augustus: that the whole
world should be enrolled This en-
rollment was first made by Cyrinus,
the Governor of Syria. And all went
to be enrolled, everyone into his own
city. And Joseph also went up from
Galilee out of the city of Nazareth
into Judea, to the city of David, which
| is called Bethlehem: because he was
of the house and family of David.
To be enrolled with Mary, his espoused
wife, who was. with child And it
| came Ito pass that when they We're
there her days were accomplished,
that she should be delivered And
she brought forth her first-born son,
and wrapped him up in sWaddling
clothes, and laid him in manger, be-
cause there was no room for them in
the inn"
Don't mind. the large church that is
built over the grotto, or all the wealth
a history of 5000 years surrounding
the place, or the assaults of the Greeks
on the Catholics for possession of the
sacred spot. Let US as simple pill
grims, full of faith, read how good
Brother Lieven De Hame, o. F. NJ,
describes tt
''The grotto, or stable, is almost
entirely natural, formed in a ridge. of
soft limestone. The roof, perhaps, is
artificial 1t is 80 feet long and from
10 to IL feet wide. It is paved with
marble. There are three doors, but no
windows, and the grotto is lighted by
SO lamps, of which 10 are kept burn
ing by the Franciscans. These lamps
are mostly suspended from the roof.
On entering the grotto by the stairs
on the north side we come at once
to the sacred spot of the Nativity.
The sacred spot that witnessed the
birth of our Divine Saviour is under
a sort of apse, and is covered with
white marble, in which circular open
ing, surrounded by silver star, per
mits one. to see underneath a blue
stone, perhaps Jasper. A silver star
was affixed here in 1717. In 1S47 it
was stolen by Greek Schismatics. Re
placed in 1852, they again sought to
carry it away in 1873. Since that
date, by request of the French Consul,
Turkish sentinel has been placed on
guard in the grotto.'
How did I hate the sight of the in
fidel guard in that holy spot. But,
then, what could be done? Kneeling
! down by the sacred spot, read the
inscription: 'EIic de ViFgine Maria
Jesu Christus natus est" (Here Jesus
Christ was born of the Virgin Nary
And here on the first Christmas Night
the Son of God was born of the ehaste
| maid for whom there was mo room
in the inn an hour previously, but
whom henceforth .aH nations will call
blessed
Night and day Is silver lamps burn
on the spot of Natiyity-fou of the
Latins, five of the Armenians, and six
of the Creeks. But such was the AFRO
gance of the willy Greeks that the Lat
ms are not permitted to celebrate
Mass on the spot, though Schismatics
| do SO every days.
Needless to say, the. original manger
crib is not here in Bethlehem. Since
| the twelfth century it has been pre-
served in the Basilica of ST. Mary
Major, or rather what is left of it
viz, four or five sticks blackened with
age, which is carried in possession
| in crystal reliquary on the shoulders
of six Roman gentlemen every Christ
mas, Night -
Let us now pass over to the east
end of the Grotto, to the Altar of the
Wise Men. A tradition tells us that
when Mary heard the Wise Men ap
preaching she took the Divine Infant
on her knees, and held him there
while the royal visitors prostrated
| themselves before Jesus Christ. The
late Very Rev. Canon Sheehan says
in one of his books he always pities
poor st. Joseph because mysteries
were all around him, while he coul6
comprehend but little of what al
meant. And you and I, reader viii
admit, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasal
must have received something of {
shock on finding the Messiah in 8
Ecave,; not in palace, attended by .
+ poor-looking man and woman, not BY
courtiers, lords, and ladies'. But great
was their faith. And entering into
the house, they, found the Child witt
Mary His Mother, and, falling down
they adored Him; and, opening theil
treasures. they offered Him gifts
Igold and frankincense and myrrh Ant
having received an answer in sleer
that they should not return to Herod
/ theywent back another way into t1leil
own country (St Matthew, H., HIP
l s rs AZ II &