By Beata M. Andonia
Special to ASSIST News Service
BEIT JALA,
WEST BANK – (ANS)- Looking for an “off the beaten path”
Christmas experience you can only find in the Holy Land?
How about Beit Jala?
Once again, the 19th of December was
a special day for the residents of Beit Jala as they joined together to
celebrate the feast of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of the city, who lived in
one of the caves in Beit Jala.
Who was Saint Nicholas and why did he
live in Beit Jala?
Saint Nicholas was the 4th century
saint and Bishop of Myra of the Byzantine Empire. He was well known for his
good deeds and many amazing miracles. Beit Jala ranks as one of the many places
in the world where Saint Nicholas became a patron saint. It is a little
charming Christian town located next to Bethlehem.
It is believed that St. Nicholas
resided in Beit Jala for four years during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He
lived in a small cave on one of the hilltops in the town. It is believed that
he chose Beit Jala in order to be close to the place of Jesus’s birth, yet
still keep a distance from people, as the monks generally do, and he therefore
lived in a remote cave on a Beit Jala’s hilltop.
Since ancient times, people of Beit
Jala take St. Nicholas as their protector and they built a church over the cave
where St. Nicholas lived.
First, the Persians destroyed the
Church in the early 7th century, and later as well it was badly damaged many
times, but it has been always rebuilt by the Christians of Beit Jala, who are
masters in the art of stone-masonry.
Nowadays, there is a beautiful Greek
Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas (in Arabic kniset mar nikola) dating from
1925 A. D. The stone church is in a form of a cross and has a high belfry and
silver dome. The inside walls and dome are covered with graceful paintings and
drawings. The Iconostas, engraved from local cut stones, are considered a
masterpiece of decorative icons. The cave currently houses an icon of St.
Nicholas and an eternal flame remains lit in honor of him.
Some still believe that St. Nicholas
still continues to make miracles. A couple of years ago, there was a period
when the land was suffered from a terrible drought. One woman remembers that
one day everyone gathered inside the St. Nicholas Orthodox Church to pray for
the gift of rain. “Before we reached our homes the rains came. I saw that
rain with my own eyes.” – She says.
St. Nicholas Feast – How do the
locals celebrate?
Every year, on the 19th of December
(6th of December according to the Eastern Orthodox calendar – the date of the
saints’ death), thousands of people come to the Beit Jala to celebrate the St.
Nicholas’ Day Festival, honoring the town’s patron. The day begins at 7:30 am
with the St. Nicholas Liturgy, lasting until noon. The mass is usually followed
by a great parade of local scout troups and many social activities. Roman Catholics
and Lutherans participate with the Greek Orthodox majority in the city-wide
celebration.
St. Nicholas – the model for the
Santa Claus
Note: Today, few people realize that
the character of St. Nickolas, the 4th century Bishop, who had a reputation for
secret gift-giving, is the model renowned worldwide as Santa Claus. His new
name comes from his name of St. Nicholas in Dutch “Sinterklass”.
Santa Claus is a character created by a combination of legendary, historical
and folkloric aspects and is viewed differently depending on the culture.
What to do and where to stay in Beit
Jala?
Beit Jala is a charming Palestinian
town located two kilometers away from the Bethlehem and it offers a number of
interesting attractions, restaurants and comfortable accommodations.
Recommended Sites:
Churches of Beit Jala are the finest
examples of great art of stone-masonry and decoration. Beside the beautiful
Orthodox Church of St. Nickolas, a person can see the Church of the Latin
Seminary of Beit Jala, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Reformation and many
more. Other highlights include the Cremisan Monastery of Don Bosco and the
local winery, as well as the stroll in Beit Jala’s Old Town are highly
recommended.
Where to Eat:
To experience the best Arabic
cuisine and atmosphere head to the ’1890 Restaurant’, located in Beit Jala’s
Old Town. The place takes its name from the date when the building was
constructed. It was simply an old house with a unique interior that was
recently renovated and transformed into a wonderful restaurant serving oriental
meals. Another good choice is ‘Limoncello’, located in front of the Nativity
Hotel on Beit Jala’s main road. It is a brand new restaurant with an
international flavour. Diners have enjoy a vast arrau of international entrees,
desserts and drinks.
Where to Stay:
The St. Nicholas Hotel (contact:
02-274-30-40 e-mail: snicloas@p-ol.com), is a popular choice in Beit
Jala. Angel Hotel is a good accommodation located in the middle of the town,
from where everything is at your fingertips. Another option good would be Abraham’s
Herbage, a cozy guest house of the Lutheran Church in Beit Jala.
Abouth The Author –
Beata M. Andonia works for the
Bethlehem tourist bureau and blogs regularly about Bethlehem for Travelujah.
She is originally from Poland and moved to Bethlehem in 2010.
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