The Story of the Milk Grotto

A lesser known Christian tradition tells that immediately after the birth of Jesus Christ, Virgin Mary, like all mothers, nursed baby Jesus shortly after childbirth. This first act of motherhood following the Nativity of Christ occurred not in the manger of the Church of the Nativity, but in a nearby cave.

Now Read: Celebrating Christmas in Bethlehem, the Holy Land

Where the Milk Grotto Is

The Milk Grotto sits a short distance from the entrance of the Church of the Nativity, accessible by a narrow pedestrian street in one of Bethlehem's strongest Christian neighborhoods. Run by the Franciscan Custos of the Holy Land, the Milk Grotto includes an impressive stone façade, a well known Catholic icon of the Virgin Mary nursing the Christ child, and a cloistered chapel where religious sisters conduct a continuous cycle of prayers.

The view from the Milk Grotto in Bethlehem.

Why It Is Called the Milk Grotto

The cave's name, known as either the Milk Grotto or the Milk Grotto of the Virgin Mary, comes from the story that a drop of milk of the Virgin Mary fell on the floor of the cave and changed its color to white. The change in color is still clearly visible to visitors today.

The Healing Tradition of the Milk Grotto

The space, which contains three different caves, is visited by pilgrims who hope for healing from infertility. Pilgrims ingest the chalky white powder collected from the cave's soft stone. The current Franciscan caretaker, Fr. Lawrence Bode, has recorded more than 4,000 cases of couples experiencing fertility issues who have taken the powder and reported that they have conceived children, including cases of twins, triplets, and even quadruplets.

Olive Wood Virgin Mary Statues from Bethlehem

Like every infant, Christ in human form needed nourishment from his mother, and the Virgin Mary, with great love, gave him motherly care. Bethlehem Handicrafts offers many hand carved olive wood statues of the Virgin Mary tenderly holding baby Jesus.

Watch how we hand carve one of our favorite Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus sculptures from a single block of olive wood grown in the Holy Land:

Final Product:

Notice the diverse colors and grains of Bethlehem's olive wood. This carved statue of Virgin Mary appears to be on the move as she cradles her swaddled Christ child close to her heart, a visible expression of her endless love.

View this Virgin Mary and baby Jesus sculpture in 360 degrees.

Made by Christian Hands. Loved by Christian Hearts.