The Milk Grotto

Along the road south of the Church of the Nativity is a shrine called the Milk Grotto. It is an irregular grotto hollowed out of the soft white rock. According to the Tradition, while Mary and Joseph were fleeing Herod's soldiers on their way to Egypt they stopped in this cave for Mary to nurse the baby Jesus. A drop of Milk fell upon the stone and it turned white. That is why many people continue to visit this site today.

In popular religion, many couples that have difficulty having children visit the shrine and take a small piece of white rock to place under their mattresses. Other women make vows in order to have a plenteous supply of Milk for nursing. They believe that through the intercession of " Our Lady of the Milk Grotto ", their prayers will be heard.

The Franciscans put up the present building around the Grotto in 1872 and turned it into a chapel.

The people of Bethlehem and local artisans have expressed their love for the site by decorating the chapel with mother-of-pearl carvings.

The Altar  in the Milk Grotto