Chapel of the Milk Grotto facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chapel of the Milk Grotto of Our Lady |
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| Grotto of Our Lady; Milk Grotto | |
Chapel of the Milk Grotto
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 Chapel of the Milk Grotto of Our Lady
Location in the West Bank
Chapel of the Milk Grotto of Our Lady
Location in the Palestinian territories
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| 31°42′12.4″N 35°12′31.6″E / 31.703444°N 35.208778°E | |
| Location | Bethlehem |
| Country | State of Palestine |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Architecture | |
| Completed | 1872 |
| Administration | |
| Province | Custody of the Holy Land |
The Chapel of the Milk Grotto of Our Lady is a special Catholic chapel in Bethlehem. It is also known as the Grotto of Our Lady or Milk Grotto. This chapel was built in 1872.
For a very long time, since the Byzantine era, this place has been important for Christian pilgrimage. Franciscan friars from the Custody of the Holy Land take care of the chapel and its holy site. An old agreement, called the Status Quo, helps different religious groups share this holy place.
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History of the Milk Grotto Chapel
The chapel you see today was built in 1872. It stands on the spot where an older Byzantine church once stood. That first church was built around the 5th century. You can still see parts of its old mosaic floor.
Why the Milk Grotto is Important
Christian stories say this cave was a hiding place for the Holy Family. This happened when they needed to escape to Egypt. They were fleeing during a difficult time called the Massacre of the Innocents.
The chapel gets its name from a special story. It is said that a "drop of milk" from the Virgin Mary fell onto the cave floor. This drop supposedly changed the color of the cave to white.
Many people visit this place, hoping for a miracle. Some couples who wish to have children come here to pray. They believe that prayers for children are sometimes answered in a special way at this shrine. The chapel area includes three different caves.
Nuns Who Pray for Peace
A monastery is connected to the Milk Grotto chapel. Here, a group of nuns called the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration live and pray. They wear red and white clothes.
These nuns practice something called perpetual adoration. This means they pray constantly in front of a special holy bread, which they believe is Jesus. Since 2016, they have also been praying non-stop for peace. This began when a special holy container, called a 'Queen of Peace' tabernacle, was placed in their prayer chapel.
A Polish group donated this tabernacle to the Franciscan friars. It was first meant for a different holy site in Jerusalem. But in 2016, it was moved to the Sisters at the Milk Grotto. This was because the nuns were able to ensure continuous prayer for peace.
The Polish artist, Mariusz Drapikowski, designed the tabernacle. He said his design was inspired by a Bible book called the Apocalypse of St John. When the tabernacle is closed, it shows earthly Jerusalem. It has images of the twelve Apostles and the twelve Tribes of Israel around Jesus on the cross. When it is open, it shows a bright, shining heavenly Jerusalem. It has two olive trees that stand for two witnesses from the Apocalypse. These trees have many different crosses on their branches. These crosses represent the many different Christian groups that come from the same Christian faith. In the middle of the open tabernacle is a monstrance. It holds a picture of Mary holding the Eucharistic Christ, shown as a large host.
See also
In Spanish: Capilla de la Gruta de la Leche para niños
- Church of St. Catherine, Bethlehem
- Shepherd's Field Chapel, Bethlehem
