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Palmers are Hurrying to Visit Holy Places

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Travel Articles >> Locations >> Asia >> Israel

A great number of palmers, maybe the biggest for the last few years, have come this year to Bethlehem, where, according to the legend, Jesus Christ had come into the world.

Christian Arabs from Bethlehem were preparing to celebrate Christmas during the last several months. They wish their children could walk down the streets of their native city with scout music squad.

It is common practice to welcome the bishops of the Orthodox Church – Greek, Syrian, Coptic and Russian, like this – a few hours before the Star of Bethlehem appears on the sky. This tradition has roots stretching into the ancient times, when Palestine was governed by Great Britain. That is why here are so many musical instruments from Foggy Albion.

You are wrong if you think that the best bagpipers are living in Scotland. In order to make sure one can just look at the Palestinian children from Bethlehem. They are preparing to welcome the Patriarch of Greek Orthodox Church.

Times of British dominion have passed, but the tradition which took the fancy of tourists, as well as local residents and even bishops, has left.

Thousands of orthodox palmers stand on the square before the Nativity Church. It is hard for bishops, who will conduct a long church service, to pass through the crowd into the church, regardless of intensified police squads.

Historically, everyone – from patriarch to simple palmer has to incline his or her head in the place where Virgin Mary had given birth to Jesus.

In the times of Ottoman Sultans, one of the rulers wanted to desecrate the Christian sanctuary, getting inside on the horse. However, he failed. A beehive flew out of a pillar, stopped the Sultan and made him to escape.

The priests of Nativity Church had walled up the wide arch leaving only a narrow lane. Now everyone who approaches the place where Jesus was born should incline their head.

Orthodox priests of several confessions have put on the brightest holiday arrays of red and golden colors on the church service in the Nativity Church. The array should symbolize the joy of faithful ones on the occasion of the birth of Christ child.

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Article Submitted On: January 7, 2008