Milk Grotto Church — Attraction in Bethlehem

Tucked away behind Nativity Square, not far from the Church of the Nativity that, according to Christian tradition, marks the spot where Jesus was born in the manger, is the Milk Grotto. This is the location where, according to another tradition, Mary nursed the Infant Jesus and where a few drops of her milk fell onto the rocks, turning the soft limestone from its original yellowish-brown hue to a creamy white.

In a tradition dating back centuries — possibly even to the earliest Christians — women and couples who are unable to conceive have come to this grotto to pray to Mary, in hopes that her intercession will bless them with a baby. Today, pilgrims can take home tiny packets of white powder from the grotto, and together, the couple for 40 days follows a devotion that includes drinking small amounts of the powder and saying a prayer. The bags are sold at a symbolic cost but can only be purchased at the grotto since the requests would be overwhelming to manage. In the 12 years since Brother Lawrence Bode, the Franciscan caretaker of the shrine, has been keeping records, there have been about 4,000 letters from couples attributing their miracle babies to the...

The church was built in 1872 on the site of a fifth century Byzantine church. According to the Christian tradition, it is on this very spot that Mary and her new born baby Jesus rested on the way of their flight to Egypt, to escape King Herod’s Massacre of the Innocents. As Mary breastfed her child, a few drops of milk fell on the floor of the grotto and turned the stone white. Since then, the grotto has been visited by both locals and pilgrims from all over the world, Christians and non-Christians, and especially by couples who believe in Mary’s power to bless them with fertility. The display of votive letters and objects in anticipation of the healing powers of Mary is...

The second obligatory visit is the place next to the Nativity church. Coming here you will walk along a narrow street where there will be a lot of souvenir shops. I would recommend to look only at the last shop on the same side, there will be this small church. There you will find handicrafts from from the oliven tree, which are made here on the spot. The church is small. I would even say a very small. You will need a little time to visit it, but probably more time to feel it. I've been to this church a couple of times, but I didn't fully feel it. Next time we will try to stay here a...