Yes. The place venerated as Jesus' birthplace is the Grotto beneath the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem, where a silver star marks the spot. The basilica is open daily, but according to the Christian Information Centre's list of September 15, 2026, the Grotto is closed for maintenance and can be visited only for an hour in the early afternoon Monday to Saturday and for a longer midday-to-afternoon window on Sunday. The way down is a staircase; no step-free route is published.
The Gospels of Matthew and Luke record that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, about 6 miles (10 km) south of Jerusalem. UNESCO notes that Christian tradition has identified this cave as the birthplace since the second century and dates the first church over it to 339 and its rebuilding to the sixth century. Scripture gives the town; the exact spot rests on that very old and continuous tradition. Beneath the altar the star carries the Latin words Hic de Virgine Maria Iesus Christus natus est, "Here Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary"; the Custody of the Holy Land records that it was placed in 1717. To the right is the place of the manger, facing the small altar of the Magi where Catholic priests celebrate Mass.
Pilgrims go down by a staircase beside the Greek Orthodox iconostasis into a narrow, confined space. With visits now limited to a short period each day, expect a line; pilgrims commonly report waits of an hour or more at busy times, though no official figure is published. Anyone who cannot manage stairs can still pray in the basilica above and in the church of St. Catherine.
Good to know before you go: three communities share the basilica, the Greek Orthodox, the Armenians, and Catholics through the Franciscans, whose church of St. Catherine adjoins it. That is where Catholics attend Mass. During the works the friars' early Mass, normally in the Grotto, is celebrated in the Grotto of St. Joseph very early in the morning Monday to Saturday, and the basilica keeps temporary hours from before dawn until early evening. Groups with their own priest book Mass through the Franciscan Pilgrims' Office. Bethlehem is in the West Bank and is reached through an Israeli checkpoint, so the visit depends on conditions that week.
Related questions, answered
What is the Shepherds' Field?
It is the place at Beit Sahour, just southeast of Bethlehem, that recalls the angels' announcement to the shepherds in Luke 2. The Franciscans keep a sanctuary there, and a separate Greek Orthodox site lies about 500 meters away. Both are traditional identifications, not proven locations. Pilgrim groups celebrate Mass at the Franciscan sanctuary, which the Custody lists as open daily from the early morning, with a Sunday break around midday into the early afternoon.
Source: Custody of the Holy Land: Bethlehem, the Shepherds' Field and Grotto
What is the Milk Grotto in Bethlehem?
It is a Marian shrine near the basilica, cared for by the Franciscans, where a pious tradition holds that Mary nursed the Child Jesus at the time of the flight into Egypt. Many people come to pray there for a child. The testimonies kept at the shrine are personal accounts, not miracles investigated by the Church, and prayer there carries no promise of any outcome.
Source: Custodia Terrae Sanctae: The Milk Grotto in Bethlehem
Is the Church of the Nativity Catholic?
It is shared. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, the Armenian Patriarchate and the Catholic Church, through the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, each have rights in the basilica. Catholic parish life and the Latin Christmas Mass are centered on the adjoining church of St. Catherine.
Source: Custody of the Holy Land: Bethlehem, Basilica of the Nativity
