OPINION:
The holy birth of Jesus in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago beckons us to harness goodness, overcome despair and build a more humane world. “Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God,” said Prophet Micah. This is how we should pursue equality and peace for all.
Bethlehem is no ordinary city: to residents and visitors worldwide, Bethlehem is the epicenter for the sowing, nurturing and sharing of peace.
In this spirit, the Bethlehem Development Foundation was established nearly a decade ago. Our founder, the late Said Khoury, said, “I urge you all to develop Bethlehem; this is important to us all. When I visited this town, I felt great pain to find the place where Jesus Christ was born in this condition.” He wept, brokenhearted, that this holy and beautiful city — including its crown jewel, the Church of the Nativity — was in such a state of disrepair.
Together with our partners, we persevere in Khoury’s vision to develop Bethlehem so that the city might continue shining its bright light in a dark world. The COVID-19 pandemic brought pilgrimage to a standstill, further crippling our already besieged economy, so our efforts to expand tourism, encourage pilgrimage and establish funding for new projects are vitally important as we look to 2022.
The Bethlehem region has a rich history dating back to the Paleolithic age. This region witnessed the beginning of agricultural and human settlement — including Roman water systems and aqueducts. It is where prophets walked, where Jesus was born and where the first church was built. Christianity began here — followed by a monastic movement in the second century B.C. that is still ongoing — and it witnessed the development of the earliest Christian theology, “Philokalia”: the love of beauty and goodness. It is where Caliph Omar visited and prayed, where crusader kings were crowned and where Christian missions from across the world established their presence.
And yet, despite a tumultuous history, the people of Bethlehem have remained resilient and have guarded their faith and deep-rooted traditions.
Current projects emphasize our rich history, expand the sites open to visitors and enhance the experience of both locals and international visitors while boosting regional economic and social profits. These projects employ a cohesive approach to the Bethlehem region by nurturing links between urban and rural centers, building new roads, adding community services and housing developments. This also includes restoring The Church of Nativity.
For centuries, Bethlehem has been a renowned pilgrimage site for people of many faiths. Every year during Christmastime, the Christian world turns toward the “little town of Bethlehem” and its majestic, ancient Church of the Nativity.
First constructed in A.D. 339 by Emperor Constantine I and rebuilt in the sixth century after a devastating fire, the Church of the Nativity — the first Christian basilica in history — remains a pilgrimage site for Christians and Muslims. In 2002, the church was named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for its “[direct association] with the birth of Jesus, an event of outstanding universal significance, through the buildings constructed in the fourth century A.D. and re-constructed in the sixth century A.D. These are a strong symbol for more than two billion Christian believers in the world, and are holy to Christians as well as to Muslims.”
The most recent renovation of the Church was completed 500 years ago. The Church was in danger of collapsing, and intervention became urgent. We supported the restoration from its earliest stages, starting with studies in 2011 and millions of dollars of restoration work in the years since. Following the dedication and generosity of our staff and supporters, in 2019, the Church of the Nativity was elevated off of UNESCO’s list of World Heritage in Danger sites. Still, the work is not done. We will continue the effort until its completion, expected in 2022.
The restoration of the Church of the Nativity is a tangible reminder that religious pluralism is essential to human flourishing and is strengthened by preserving cultural heritage.
Our strength as a foundation has been to empower the people of the Bethlehem region through infrastructure projects, and it has earned us their trust. As we restore the Church of the Nativity, American Christians have trusted us, too, bolstering our efforts through the American Friends of the Bethlehem Development Foundation.
We will deliver on our promises to Bethlehem to reinvigorate this ancient region, standing firm in our belief that Bethlehem serves as a bright, guiding spiritual star for all of humanity.
We are aware of the difficulties ahead, but Bethlehem continues to inspire within us a “thrill of hope.” Over the last two millennia, this hope has transformed the world. Why should it stop now?
• Hind Khoury is vice chair of the Board of Directors of the Bethlehem Development Foundation.
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