The year 2000 A.D. (or C.E.) represents the 2000^th anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ in what we now call the Holy Land. Often religions date their calendars from important events: the Jewish calendar for Creation; the Muslim calendar from the flight of Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina; the Christian (other than Coptic) calendar from the birth of Jesus. Later historical studies have brought to light the fact that the specific year is slightly off, but the principle is the same and the year is still in such common usage internationally, many people re unaware of what the date actually represents.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Luke 2 in the Christian Bible or New Testament), escaped to Egypt, returned and grew up in Nazareth and taught throughout the are, especially in the Galilee and in Jerusalem. He was crucified in Jerusalem, just outside the city walls, and his resurrection was made know first to the women visiting the tomb where he had been laid. The Christian Church itself began in Jerusalem, fifty days later, with the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. It spread throughout the are first as a Jewish/Christian movement and then also as a gentile Christian movement. Within the first 100 years the church spread throughout the Mediterranean region, into Africa and Asia and today is known throughout the world. By the time Christianity was made the religion of the Roman Empire (4^th century) it was the non-Jewish (gentile) part of the movement which was predominant.

Over the centuries Christianity divided into national groups and/or theological groups sometimes called Churches (with a capital C) and sometimes known as denominations. There have always been Christians in the area called the Holy Land and Know as Palestine for centuries. The Christians were both indigenous and immigrant Christians who came on pilgrimage and stayed. Over the nearly 2000 years various Christian groups built churches, hospices to house the pilgrims coming for their own national and theological groups, and buildings to commemorate events and places in the life of Jesus Christ. They have also been pioneers in education, hospitals and other social services.

Although each Church (denomination) is making plans for its own celebration of the year 2000 in the Holy Land or in other parts of the world, some of the Churches in the Jerusalem/Bethlehem area are also working ecumenically to plan some events together. Almost all Christians are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem as a beginning and not an ending for, after all, the 2000 is counted from an event and not counting to any other event.

Betty Jane Bailey
January 1999

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