The **Church of the Nativity** in Bethlehem, West Bank, is the world's oldest continuously operating church, revered as the traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ.[1][4][5] Commissioned around 326 CE by Roman Emperor Constantine I and his mother St. Helena over a sacred grotto, it was rebuilt in the 6th century by Byzantine Emperor Justinian into a five-aisled basilica with Corinthian columns, a cruciform layout, and an eastern apse.[1][2][4] Crusaders added renovations and decorations in the 12th century, while surviving mosaics depict Jesus' genealogy, angels, and church councils, blending Catholic and Orthodox artistry.[2][4] Administered under the 19th-century **Status Quo** agreement, the site is jointly custodianship by the Greek Orthodox (main basilica and Grotto of the Nativity, marked by a 14-point silver star), Roman Catholics (Grotto of the Manger and nearby St. Catherine's), and Armenian Apostolic churches, with minority rights for Coptic and Syriac Orthodox.[1][4][7] Entrants pass through the iconic low **Door of Humility**, originally Crusader-built and later modified by Ottomans to bar horsemen.[4][5][7] Designated a **UNESCO World Heritage Site** in 2012, the church has undergone meticulous restoration of its altar, frescoes, and structure, preserving traces of ancient splendor amid high convent walls.[1][6] It draws millions of pilgrims annually, especially at Christmas Eve gatherings in Manger Square, blending worship, history, and global tourism.[1][5][6] Notable features include the presbytery over the birth grotto, altars for Christ's circumcision and St. Joseph, and Crusader graffiti on columns.[1][2][4] Despite occasional inter-denominationa