This manger scene, with its gift-bringing three Wise Men (or Magi or kings) dressed in white, can be good to illustrate the two holy days being celebrated in Israel today.
For Catholics and Protestants, today is the Feast of Epiphany.
For the Orthodox, Copt, Syrian, and Ethiopian Christians, January 6-7 is the Feast of the Nativity.
The creche welcomes visitors at the gate of the Monastery of St. Gerasimus, or in Arabic, Deir Hajla.
Our busload from Meitar was there two weeks ago.
If you enlarge the photo you can see the braided palm work, which is a specialty there.
The monastery is near Jericho, not far from the baptism site Kasr al Yahud on the River Jordan.
At an altitude of several hundred meters below sea level, the centuries-old St. Gerasimus is the lowest still-lived in monastery in the world, our guide said.
You can see more in my previous posts from a few years ago here.
If you are celebrating one of these two feast days today, I wish you a blessed and happy day!
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