A rare icon made of silver and precious stones was discovered two months ago in the Temple of the Nativity of Christ in Bethlehem. Experts say the find is of "great religious and historical value."
The find was made by workers who carried out restoration work in the church after the building was damaged by groundwater. The icon was found during the first phase of its restoration, reports The Daily Mail.
Until now, the original image of the artifact has not been published anywhere, as experts try to understand its true religious and historical value. It is only known that it is made of copper, silver and inlaid with precious stones and shells.
The icon was found next to a window under a layer of plaster two months ago, according to Ziyad al-Bandak, the Palestinian adviser to the president on Christian affairs, in an interview with the Ma'an news agency. He noted that currently it has already passed the restoration, but is not yet ready for public opening.
The Church of the Nativity of Christ in Bethlehem was built in the 4th century over the grotto, where, according to legend, the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus. The ongoing reconstruction project, which lasted two years with the participation of Palestinian and international experts, is the largest in this church in the past 600 years. Its cost is estimated at almost $ 8 million.