BETHLEHEM, beth-le-em, or -hem, (BM Lahm, ((house of bread); also known as Ephra tah, qthe fruitful)), Palestine, a village five miles from Jerusalem and only second to Jeru salem in sacred interest. It lies at the foot of a hill covered with vines and olive-trees, and is of surpassing interest to the Christian world as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. It is of fre quent mention in both Old and New Testa ments. It was the scene of Rachel's death (Gen. xxxv, 19) and of the romance of Ruth. It is the city of David, the scene of his early exploits and the home of his kindred. Here he was anointed by Samuel to be king of Israel (1 Sam. xvi, 13), and from Bethlehem he was sent for by Saul to minister to him with his harp (1 Sam. xvi, 19). It was one of the strongholds built by Rehoboam. After the Captivity a small band of Bethlehemites re turned to their old dwelling-place. As the birthplace of Christ it is one of the great Christian shrines of Palestine. The Church of the Nativity, erected by the Empress Helena in 327, 120 feet long by 110 broad, is divided into nave and four aisles by ranges of Corinth ian columns with crests of the Crusaders on some of the stones. The nave is the oldest monument of Christian architecture in the world. The mosaics date from 1169. The site
is held in common by Latins, Greeks and Ar menians, and the greater part of the building' is occupied by converts of those churches. In this church Baldwin I was crowned. The roof was renewed in English oak by Edward IV. Below the church is the grotto of the Nativity, 33 feet long by 11 wide, furnished with silver and_crystal lamps, where a marble trough is shown, traditionally believed to be the manger in which Christ was born. Other objects of interest are the Altar of the Innocents, mark ing the burial place of the 20,000 children slain by Herod, the tomb of Saint Eusebius, the chapel and tomb of Saint Jerome and (some distance off) the grotto where the shepherds watched by night when the angels appeared to them (Luke ii, 8-18). In order to prevent con fusion with another place of the same name, seven miles northwest of Nazareth, mentioned in Joshua xix, 15, it is called Bethlehem Judah. It is the most Christian town in southern Pal estine. Agriculture and the rearing of cattle are the chief occupations of its inhabitants, and the making of rosaries, crucifixes, etc., for pil grims to the sacred shrines. Pop. 8,000.