Editing Church of the Nativity (section)

===Twentieth century to the present===
{{see also|Siege of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem}}
[[File:Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, Palestine 04155u original.jpg|thumb|Interior of the basilica in the 1930s]]
[[File:Church of the Nativity pre-1941.jpg|thumb|The facade, ca. 1940]]

In 1918 British governor Colonel [[Ronald Storrs]] demolished the wall erected in 1842 by the Greek Orthodox between nave and choir.<ref name=Cohen2011/>

The passageway which connects St. Jerome's Cave and the Cave of the Nativity was expanded in February 1964, allowing easier access for visitors. American businessman Stanley Slotkin was visiting at the time and purchased a quantity of the limestone rubble, more than a million irregular fragments about {{convert|5|mm|abbr=on}} across. He sold them to the public encased in plastic crosses, and they were advertised in infomercials in 1995.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-10-12-me-53035-story.html |title=Rocks of Faith |last=Dart |first=John |date=12 October 1996 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US |issn=0458-3035 |access-date=27 May 2016 |archive-date=21 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421061124/http://articles.latimes.com/1996-10-12/local/me-53035_1_nativity-stones/2 |url-status=live }}</ref>

During the [[Second Intifada]] in April 2002, the church was the site of a [[Siege of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem|month-long siege]] in which approximately 50 armed Palestinians wanted by the [[Israel Defense Forces]] (IDF) took refuge inside the church. Christians in the church gave refuge to the fighters, giving them food, water, and protection from Israeli military forces stationed outside. Israeli media claimed that the Christians inside were being held hostage,<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://old.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-cohen042402.asp |title=The Nativity Sin |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110817045355/http://old.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-cohen042402.asp |date=24 April 2002 |work=National Review |archive-date=2011-08-17}}</ref> however, parishioners inside the church say they and the church were treated with respect.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://zenit.org/articles/franciscan-proposal-to-end-siege-of-bethlehem-basilica/ |title=Franciscan Proposal to End Siege of Bethlehem Basilica |date=11 April 2002 |work=Zenit |access-date=20 December 2019 |archive-date=20 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220101535/https://zenit.org/articles/franciscan-proposal-to-end-siege-of-bethlehem-basilica/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Curtains caught fire in the grotto beneath the church on 27 May 2014, which resulted in some slight damage.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://wkbn.com/2014/05/27/fire-breaks-out-at-bethlehems-church-of-nativity/ |title=Fire breaks out at Bethlehem's Church of Nativity |date=27 May 2014 |publisher=WKBN |agency=Associated Press |access-date=24 December 2015 |archive-date=1 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101135354/http://wkbn.com/2014/05/27/fire-breaks-out-at-bethlehems-church-of-nativity/ }}</ref>

The church's joint owners undertook a major renovation starting in September 2013,<ref name=restoratio>{{cite web |url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World/Photos/Church-of-Nativity-restoration/10778/16/ |title=Church of Nativity restoration |work=[[United Press International]] |location=Washington |access-date=17 December 2016 |archive-date=3 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170103003305/http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World/Photos/Church-of-Nativity-restoration/10778/16/ |url-status=live }}</ref> probably to be completed in 2021 (see also under [[#Restoration (2013–2019)|Restoration (2013–2019)]]).

====World Heritage Site====
In 2012, the church complex became the first Palestinian site to be listed as a [[World Heritage Site]] by the [[World Heritage Committee]] at its 36th session on 29 June.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://globalheritagefund.org/onthewire/blog/church_of_the_nativity |title=Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity Could Be Israel's First World Heritage Site |publisher=Global Heritage Fund |date=15 June 2012 |access-date=29 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120706000541/http://globalheritagefund.org/onthewire/blog/church_of_the_nativity |archive-date=6 July 2012 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> It was approved by a secret vote<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/unesco-urgently-lists-church-of-nativity-as-world-heritage/1018266.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126041409/http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/unesco-urgently-lists-church-of-nativity-as-world-heritage/1018266.html |archive-date=26 January 2013 |title=UNESCO urgently lists Church of Nativity as world heritage |publisher=IBN Live News |date=29 June 2012 |access-date=29 June 2012}}</ref> of 13–6 in the 21-member committee, according to UNESCO spokeswoman Sue Williams,<ref name=ynet>{{cite news |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4249093,00.html |title=UNESCO makes Church of Nativity as endangered site |newspaper=Ynetnews |publisher=Ynetnews.com |date=29 June 2012 |access-date=29 June 2012 |archive-date=1 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120701203040/http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4249093,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and following an emergency candidacy procedure that by-passed the 18-month process for most sites, despite the opposition of the United States and Israel. The site was approved under criteria four and six.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1433 |title=Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |access-date=26 March 2013 |archive-date=1 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120701115532/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1433 |url-status=live }}</ref> The decision was a controversial one on both technical and political terms.<ref name=ynet/><ref name=al>{{cite web |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/06/2012629182452482880.html |title=UN grants Nativity Church 'endangered' status |department=Middle East |publisher=Al Jazeera English |access-date=26 March 2013 |archive-date=6 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120906184743/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/06/2012629182452482880.html |url-status=live }}</ref> It was placed on the [[List of World Heritage in Danger]] from 2012 to 2019, as it was suffering from damages due to water leaks.<ref name=unesco/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/1995 |title=The site of the Birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem (Palestine) removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger |publisher=UNESCO |access-date=7 July 2019 |archive-date=2 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190702152115/https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/1995 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Restoration (2013–2019)====
=====Endangered status=====
The basilica was placed on the 2008 Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites by the [[World Monuments Fund]]:
<blockquote>The present state of the church is worrying. Many roof timbers are rotting, and have not been replaced since the 19th century. The rainwater that seeps into the building not only accelerates the rotting of the wood and damages the structural integrity of the building, but also damages the 12th-century wall mosaics and paintings. The influx of water also means that there is an ever-present chance of an electrical fire. If another earthquake were to occur on the scale of the one of 1834, the result would most likely be catastrophic. ... It is hoped that the listing will encourage its preservation, including getting the three custodians of the church—the Greek Orthodox Church, the Armenian Orthodox Church, and the Franciscan order—to work together, which has not happened for hundreds of years. The Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority would also have to work together to protect it.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wmf.org/project/church-holy-nativity |title=Church of the Holy Nativity |publisher=World Monuments Fund |access-date=22 December 2011 |archive-date=5 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105225620/http://www.wmf.org/project/church-holy-nativity |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Kumar |first=Anugrah |url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/bethlehems-nativity-church-to-get-overdue-repairs-63163/ |title=Bethlehem's Nativity Church to Get Overdue Repairs |work=The Christian Post |date=28 November 2011 |access-date=22 December 2011 |archive-date=31 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111231171017/http://www.christianpost.com/news/bethlehems-nativity-church-to-get-overdue-repairs-63163 |url-status=live }}</ref></blockquote>
A Presidential committee for the restoration of the Nativity Church was appointed in 2008. In the following year, an international consortium team of experts from different Universities, under the supervision of Prof. Claudio Alessandri (University of Ferrara, Italy), was given the task of planning and coordinating the restoration works.

=====Logistics and organisation=====
In 2010, the [[Palestinian Authority]] announced that a multimillion-dollar restoration programme was imminent.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-ml-palestinians-ancient-church,0,2313867.story |title=Topic Galleries |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=22 December 2011}}{{Dead link|date=December 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{full citation needed|date=December 2016}}</ref> Although a majority Muslim nation, albeit with a [[Palestinian Christians|significant Christian minority]], Palestinians consider the church a national treasure and one of their most visited tourist sites.<ref name=Abbas/> President Mahmoud Abbas has been actively involved in the project, which is led by Ziad al-Bandak.<ref name=Abbas>{{cite web |url=http://www.mail.com/int/scitech/news/4143698-palestinians-renovate-church-jesus-birthplace.html#.1258-stage-set7-4 |title=Sci/Tech – Science & Technology: Breaking news and opinions |access-date=24 February 2016 |archive-date=21 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160221022043/http://www.mail.com/int/scitech/news/4143698-palestinians-renovate-church-jesus-birthplace.html#.1258-stage-set7-4 |url-status=live }}{{full citation needed|date=December 2016}}</ref> The project is partially funded by Palestinians and conducted by a team of Palestinian and international experts.<ref name=Abbas/>

=====Restoration process=====
The initial phase of the restoration work was completed in early 2016.<ref name=Abbas/> New windows have been installed, structural repairs on the roof have been completed and art works and mosaics have been cleaned and restored.<ref name=Abbas/> The works went further with the consolidation of the narthex, the cleaning and consolidation of all wooden elements, the cleaning of wall mosaics, mural paintings, and floor mosaics. The works came to pause in 2021; however there is still restoration work to be done as of June 2024. The remaining goals of the project include: the conservation of the stone tiles of the Church of the Nativity’s front yard, the addition of a firefighting system, a climate control system, structural consolidation, further prevention of seismic activity damage, and the restoration of the central nave. The most necessary of the repairs yet to be done is restoration of the Grotto of the Nativity.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sudilovsky |first1=Judith |title=Restoration at Church of the Nativity shows what cooperation can do |url=https://www.catholicsun.org/2021/12/09/restoration-at-church-of-the-nativity-shows-what-cooperation-can-do/#:~:text=After%20a%20process%20of%20extensive,of%20the%20outside%20facades%3B%20and |website=The Catholic Sun |date=9 December 2021 |access-date=23 July 2024}}</ref>

=====Discoveries=====
Italian restoration workers uncovered a seventh surviving mosaic angel in July 2016, which was previously hidden under plaster.<ref name=7angel>{{cite web |url=http://www.ansa.it/english/news/2016/07/05/italians-find-church-of-nativitys-7th-angel_588dc3e0-5904-4c2b-92e2-69e6a4c38cfa.html |title=Italians find Church of Nativity's 7th angel |work=[[Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata]] |location=Rome |access-date=8 July 2016 |date=5 July 2016 |archive-date=8 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160708140015/http://www.ansa.it/english/news/2016/07/05/italians-find-church-of-nativitys-7th-angel_588dc3e0-5904-4c2b-92e2-69e6a4c38cfa.html |url-status=live }}</ref> According to the Italian restorer Marcello Piacenti, the mosaics "are made of gold leaf placed between two glass plates" and solely "faces and limbs are drawn with small pieces of stone."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/bethlehem-church-mosaics-sparkle-in-time-for-christmas |title=Bethlehem church mosaics sparkle again, in time for Christmas |newspaper=The Straits Times |date=December 16, 2018 |access-date=April 28, 2021 |archive-date=28 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428141748/https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/bethlehem-church-mosaics-sparkle-in-time-for-christmas |url-status=live }}</ref>