Christians Flock to Bethlehem

While most of us spend the holiday traveling over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house, many Christians from all over the world flocked to Bethlehem’s Manger Square Tuesday to celebrate the holy day in the ancient West Bank town where Jesus was born. Cold, damp weather didn’t deter the thousands who waited in line near the Church of the Nativity complex to see the grotto that is Jesus’ traditional birthplace. The Palestinian tourism ministry predicts 10,000 foreigners will visit Bethlehem on Christmas Day, while 15,000 visited Christmas Eve—up 20 percent from last year.