Bethlehem and Mary: the mystery of the Nativity
Bethlehem and Mary, the mystery of the Nativity
Bethlehem (in Hebrew, “house of bread”) is the city of Judea where Jesus Christ was born. For Mariology, Bethlehem is the place of the full realization of the Annunciation: here Mary truly becomes the Mother of the Son of God, fulfilling her Fiat.
The Gospel account
Luke and Matthew converge in placing the birth at Bethlehem, but with different perspectives. Luke (2:1-20) focuses on Mary and Joseph, who found no room at the inn, on the manger and on the shepherds. Matthew (2:1-12) records the visit of the Magi from the East. Both underline the humility and the silence of Mary as the setting of the Mystery.
Mary in Bethlehem, contemplation and meditation
The verse “Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Lk 2:19) is one of the most profound characterizations of Mary in the Gospels. In Bethlehem it is not only Jesus who is born, but also the figure of Mary as a contemplative woman, a model of listening and of the intelligence of faith.
The Basilica of the Nativity
The Basilica of the Nativity, built over the grotto identified as the site of the birth, is the oldest Christian place of worship still in use. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, it is administered by Greek Orthodox, Armenian and Franciscan Christians. The altar in the grotto bears the inscription: Hic de Virgine Maria Jesus Christus natus est.
Further reading: Mariology, Marian Theology, Marian apparitions and the Postgraduate Program in Mariology.
Magisterium of the Church
Peperit autem filium suum primogenitum et pannis eum involvit et reclinavit eum in praesepio, quia non erat eis locus in diversorio.
Luke 2:7 (Clementine Vulgate)
📚 Literal translation: And she brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in the manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
In spelunca Bethleemitica, ubi Verbum caro factum est, apparuit Maria Mater Filii Dei et Mater nostra.
S. Ioannes Paulus II, Homilia in Bethlehem (5 martii 2000)
📚 Literal translation: In the grotto of Bethlehem, where the Word was made flesh, Mary appeared, Mother of the Son of God and our Mother.
Postgraduate Program in Mariology
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This article grows out of the works in the Locus Mariologicus library. The Postgraduate Program in Mariology takes you to the same source, with academic guidance: Scripture, the Fathers of the Church, and the Magisterium, from the first dogma to contemporary questions.
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