Explore the site and add items to your bundle
This is the only Catholic Church in Beit Sahour, and it was named after the apparition of the Virgin Mary in Fatima, Portugal. The church, which is located near the Shepherds’ Field, was founded by the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem in 1859, who commissioned a Catholic priest by the name of Jacques Maurita to design the structure. It is renowned for its astonishing altar, which is one of its kind in Palestine. The altar was jointly built by foreigners and masons from the local community, and includes carvings that narrate the birth and life of Jesus. A school was established during the same year when the church was built, and it is still operational until today, educating students from the area and nearby villages.
