Bethlehem is a place of the heart that cannot accommodate indifference. It is for Jews, who identify it with the city of David, and it is for Christians and Muslims, who believe Mary’s virgin birth occurred there. Frequented each year by thousands of pilgrims, this West Bank town, located about ten kilometres from Jerusalem, is both a physical and an emotional site. Yet little is known about its history. What happened to Bethlehem during the long medieval millennium? How did current traditions take shape? The author investigates the myth of Bethlehem, anchoring it to the historical events of an apparently insignificant city, that nevertheless constantly earned the attention of kings, princes, emperors, and simple pilgrims, eager to encounter the Mystery among its streets’ living stones.

Antonio Musarra teaches Medieval History at Sapienza University in Rome.