Despite being battered by centuries of war, unrest and natural phenomena, Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, one of Christianity's holiest sites, has finally being restored, just in time for Christmas.
The beautiful mosaic angels of the historical church have now been restored by Italian experts after three years of renovation work, as part of an ongoing $25 million project to restore the entire church, which is financed by donations and overseen by the Palestinian presidency.
The Church of the Nativity is situated 10 kilometers south of Jerusalem and lies on the site traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus.
The church, which was the first Palestinian site to become designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been a significant pilgrim destination on the Pilgrimage Route for more than 1700 years.
The mosaic artworks, which lie at the top of the church's nave, have been restored in glass, stone, mother of pearl, and gold leaf. They depict Byzantine angels in white garments pointing toward the church's grotto, which marks the spot where Christ is believed to have been born.
The original church was commissioned in 327 by Constantine and his mother Helena. It was arranged so its octagonal eastern end surrounds and provides a view of the cave that is believed to be the birthplace of Jesus.
It was destroyed in a fire in the sixth century, but parts of the original still remain today. The current basilica was built in 565 by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I in a way that retained the original's architectural features.
Unfortunately however, that wasn't the last hit the church, which is on UNESCO's list of endangered world heritage sites, had to take.
Various earthquakes and aftershocks that occurred throughout the 19th century caused significant damage to the church, in addition to centuries of rainfall which has damaged the roof and the mosaics
The various invasions, conflicts and wars that wrecked havoc in the city over thousands of years prevented proper restoration.
Moreover, the church was put under siege by Israeli forces in 2002 during the second intifada after about 50 armed Palestinians locked themselves inside, which left bullet holes on the roof.
Despite its troubled history, the church is still here. Now, its beautiful angels are glowing again in restored pinks, yellows, greens and golds, giving pilgrims and locals who will be fortunate enough to experience them firsthand one more thing to celebrate this Christmas, as well as bringing some much needed joy to the Holy Land.