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Religion News Service - December 19, 1996

SELLING THE NATIVITY:
Nativity jewelry sales campaign draws ire in Bethlehe …

BETHLEHEM - The pitch seems to be everywhere this Christmas season: For as little as $59.95 (plus postage and handling) you, too, can own a piece of the place where Jesus was born.

In reverential tones, actor Ricardo Montalban describes a filigreed cross, centered with a stone that he says ”witnessed” the birth of Jesus.

The offers have been broadcast in more than 35 countries, from the United States to Argentina and the Philippines. They have been seen on the Fox network, the Discovery Channel, VH-1, local television affiliates and on Pat Robertson’s” 700 Club. ”Print advertisements have appeared in such publications as Catholic Digest, Biblical Archaeology Review and the newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of New York.

More than 400,000 of these ”sacred relics” have been sold - complete with documents that purport to their archaeological authenticity - since the campaign began in Christmas 1994, promoters say.

But the mayor of Bethlehem and authorities of the Greek Orthodox Church, which is the official custodian of the Cave of the Nativity, are crying foul.” I think people must know the truth … this is no, no, no, not from the cave where Christ was born,” said Bethlehem Mayor Elias Freij.

Greek Orthodox officials are also adamant that the Cave of the Nativity has never been touched and that stones from this holy site would never be offered for sale. Archbishop Spyridon, head of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, expressed dismay at the marketing campaign. ”The Prince of Peace, whose birth we celebrate in goodwill and love, reminded his followers to beware of `wolves in sheep’s clothing,’ who, like the Pharisees, scribes and hypocrites, forgot the prophetic commandment to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God,” Spyridon said in a statement from New York on Friday (Dec. 13).

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[ Religion News Service
   https://religionnews.com/1996/12/19/top-story-selling-the-nativity-
   nativity-jewelry-sales-campaign-draws-ire-in/
   December 19, 1996 ]