Bethlehem Church Mosaics Sparkle in Time for Christmas
The Fellowship | December 21, 2018
Just in time for Christmas, Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity has repaired and cleaned 12th century mosaics that have been covered in dirt for centuries reports the Times of Israel:
Masked for centuries by the soot of candles and lately by scaffolding, the mosaics of Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity have been restored to their Crusader-era splendor in time for Christmas.
Over the past 15 months, experts have cleaned and repaired surviving fragments of the 12th century masterworks, preserving 1,345 square feet (125 square meters) of what was once 21,528 square feet (2,000 square meters) of glittering gold and glass.
Now the restored remains shine against the white walls above the heads of visitors to the church in the West Bank city of Bethlehem that marks the traditional birthplace of Jesus.