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 | |
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Arabic: كنيسة غار الحليب
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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. It is also known as the Grotto of Our Lady or Milk Grotto. This chapel is located in Bethlehem, a city in the West Bank. It was built in 1872. For a very long time, since the Byzantine era, this place has been important for Christian pilgrimage. Today, it is cared for by the Custody of the Holy Land, a group of Franciscan friars.
Contents
History of the Chapel
The chapel you see today was built in 1872. It stands on the same spot where a much older church once stood. That first church was built around the 5th century. You can still see parts of its old mosaic floor inside the current chapel.
Why the Milk Grotto is Special
Christian stories say this cave was a hiding place for the Holy Family. This happened when they were escaping danger before going to Egypt. The name "Milk Grotto" comes from a famous story. It says that a drop of milk from the Virgin Mary fell onto the cave floor. This drop supposedly turned the cave's color to white.
The Milk Grotto has three different caves. Many people visit this place. Some come hoping for a miracle to help couples who want to have children. They believe that prayers offered here for children are sometimes answered in amazing ways.
The Monastery and Its Prayers
A monastery is connected to the chapel. It is home to the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. These nuns wear red and white clothes. They practice something called perpetual adoration. This means they pray continuously, day and night. Since 2016, they have been praying without stopping for peace in the world.
A special tabernacle was placed in their Adoration Chapel in 2016. It is called the "Queen of Peace" tabernacle. A group from Poland donated this beautiful piece. It was first meant for another holy site in Jerusalem. But it was moved to the Milk Grotto. The nuns here could ensure that prayers for peace would truly be continuous.
The artist who made the tabernacle is Mariusz Drapikowski. He said his design was inspired by the Book of Revelation. When the tabernacle is closed, it shows the earthly city of Jerusalem. It has the Twelve Apostles and Twelve Tribes of Israel around Jesus on the cross. When it is open, it shows the Heavenly Jerusalem. This part shines brightly. It has two olive trees on the sides. These trees represent the Two Witnesses from the Bible. Their branches are filled with many different types of crosses. These crosses show the many different Christian groups. They all come from the same Christian faith. In the middle of the open shrine is a monstrance. It holds a small container called a lunette. This lunette holds the Eucharistic Christ.
See also
In Spanish: Capilla de la Gruta de la Leche para niños
- Church of St. Catherine, Bethlehem
- Shepherd's Field Chapel, Bethlehem
