Bethlehem is located about 10 Kilometers (6 miles) southwest of Jerusalem by the hill country of Judea on the way to Hebron.
Bethlehem is sacred to all three religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Bethlehem is celebrated by Christians around the world as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. With a population of almost 50,000, Bethlehem is also home to one of the largest Christian communities in the Middle East.
Bethlehem’s many tourist attractions include the Church of the Nativity, which lies above the Holy Crypt, where Christians believe Jesus was born; Rachel’s Tomb, believed to be the burial place of the Jewish matriarch; and the Mar Saba Monastery, founded in the 5 century CE. The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem ranks amongst the most important Christian Holy Places throughout the Christian World – perhaps it is even its holiest. Millions of Christians around the globe relate to this place through the One, Jesus Christ, who was born here.