Christmas in Israel, traditions, photos. Celebrating Christmas in Israel 2016
Christmas in Israel
The place where the Savior was born is not at all fictional or mythical. It is located in the city of Bethlehem, a little south of Jerusalem, and therefore thousands of pilgrims and believers from all over the world strive to celebrate Christmas in Israel every year..
The oldest temple
The Church of the Nativity of Christ is considered the most ancient in the Holy Land. The date of its construction is the 6th century, and it is under the local stone vaults, blackened by time and soot of candles, that a festive Christmas service is held at night. A Christmas tree is set up on the square in front of the basilica, and the city itself becomes like a postcard. Its windows are decorated with compositions based on biblical subjects, and colorful oriental bazaars offer customers souvenirs and gifts for relatives and friends..
Another holy place for all Orthodox is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This place is always crowded on Christmas Day in Israel. All pilgrims tend to visit the services in it, and even those who do not observe religious rites prefer to touch the sacred stones..
Walk like that!
Many people from Russia and the countries of the former USSR live in Israel. For them, Christmas and New Year are favorite holidays since childhood, and therefore it is customary to celebrate them here on a Russian scale. On the tables of the Israelis, there are baked turkey, traditional Olivier, and pancakes with caviar. Christmas in Israel is a good excuse to meet friends and remember the old days.
The guests of the country prefer to take advantage of this unique opportunity and go on a tour of Israel. For example, to swim in all four of its seas: Mediterranean, Red, Dead and in Lake Tiberias, fortunately, the hot climate allows.
Tours to the Dead Sea are especially popular, because a unique natural reservoir allows you to heal many inflammatory and skin pathologies and gives an indescribable sensation from bathing, which is not at all like usual.
Christmas in Israel, spent in Eilat, will be a great beach holiday on the Red Sea, where everything from diving to paragliding is available. An excursion to a factory for the production of products from Eilat stone will introduce you to an interesting craft, and the issue of finding original souvenirs for friends and relatives will be resolved.
Another important plus of celebrating Christmas in Israel: Russians do not need a visa to enter the country, and the flight itself takes a little time. It is worth spending to bring amazing impressions and bright memories of the Holy Land, which gave the Savior to the world..