The Star Marks the Place

This is the spot that marks the traditional exact place of birth of Jesus Christ. "Fitted into the paving, shines a 14 pointed silver star marking the exact spot surrounded by the Latin inscription: HICDE VIRGINE MARIA JESUS CHRISTUS NATUS EST. 1717. (Here Jesus Christ was born to the Virgin Mary).

The Star Marks the Place Originally uploaded by whatnext.

Of the 15 lamps burning around the recess, six belong to the Greeks, 5 to the Armenians and four to the Latins."

[Description from atlastours.net]

N.T. Wright Smackdown

For those who share my high opinion of the masterful work of N.T. Wright, this will be an amusing post.

Pisteuo: Justin Jenkins' Weblog: N.T. Wright: POW! ZING!

I Use A Mac...

... And I'm a big fan of all things Apple. However, this ad had me laughing out loud. It's a parody of Apple's former "Switch" campaign.

WARNING: There is a bit of profanity near the end. Please use your best judgement before playing the video.

The Monastery from Afar

A view of the Monastery from a distance. You can get a better sense of how much sandstone had to be removed to get to the flat surface upon which carving could take place.

The Monastery from Afar Originally uploaded by whatnext.

Stained Beauty

A close-up of a stained glass window inside the Church of the Immaculate Conception, an amazing church.

Stained Beauty Originally uploaded by whatnext.