In Jesus’ time, Bethlehem was a small village, steeped in biblical history and destined to become one of the most important holy places in all of Christendom.
Starting on Sunday, Dec. 15, Brandywine Community Church will take visitors back 2,000 years in an elaborate re-creation of what the place of Jesus’ birth was like the night he was born.
The fifth annual Night in Bethlehem, which will also run on Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 16-17, is a free, interactive event that gives families an opportunity travel to one of the far corners of the Roman empire, where King Herod ruled. Dozens of people are in the cast of characters for the presentation.
Scripture says that Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem to register for a census decreed by the Roman emperor Ceasar Augustus, and visitors to Night of Bethlehem will get to do the same thing, signing a census to declare their place in the vast empire.
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As they make their way through the heart of town, visitors will be able to shop in a marketplace (with currency provided by Night in Bethlehem) and interact with merchants. They’ll also meet the wise men who came to see for themselves the miracle that had been prophesied many years earlier.
King Herod, who scripture says was so fearful of being usurped by the newborn baby king that he decreed all children under the age of 2 to be killed, will also make an appearance.
As visitors make their way through the town, they will at last come upon Mary, Joseph and Jesus and hear all about the night there was no room for the family at the town’s inn. Live animals will fill an outdoor area constructed to look much like the stable did on the night Jesus was born.
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What: Night in Bethlehem, an interactive experience
When: 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 15-17. Guided tours begin every 15 minutes with the last one beginning at 8 p.m. Each tour lasts about an hour.
Where: Brandywine Community Church, 1551 E. New Road, Greenfield
How: This is a free event, but visitors are asked to register for tickets to ensure everyone doesn’t come at once. Reservations can be made at www. brandywinechurch.org/nib
Refreshments, including hot chocolate and cookies, will be served at the end of each tour.
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