Bethlehem grotto set for first restoration in 600 years
The cave in Bethlehem, traditionally recognized as the birthplace of Jesus, will undergo a major restoration for the first time in 600 years. The Grotto of the Nativity, located beneath the Church of the Nativity, will be refurbished in a joint effort by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, a Catholic order responsible for maintaining holy sites in the region. Church officials described the project as a shared Christian commitment to preserve the spiritual, historical, and cultural significance of the grotto for future generations.
The Grotto of the Nativity contains two primary sites: the exact location of Jesus’ birth, marked by a silver star, and the Chapel of the Manger, where he is said to have been laid after birth. Before the pandemic and regional conflicts, the site drew around three million visitors annually. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called the renovation “a sign of great hope and rebirth for the whole Holy Land” during a visit to Rome in November 2025. An Italian company, Piacenti SpA of Prato, which previously restored the Basilica of the Nativity, will carry out the work, reinforcing the rock, marble floors, columns, decorative elements, and the star marking the birth site. Church leaders noted the project represents unity between Greek Orthodox Christians and Catholics, despite a long history of tensions stemming from the Great Schism of 1054. Both churches view the restoration as a symbol of shared faith, devotion, and continuity in the land of the Nativity.
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