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U.S. President George W. Bush stepping out of the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem on Thursday. (Reuters)
Last update - 20:45 10/01/2008
A devout Christian, Bush makes pilgrimage to Jesus' birthplace
By Reuters
Tags: Bethlehem, George W. Bush 

Passing through a tiny "Door of Humility", U.S. President George W. Bush made a pilgrimage to the traditional birthplace of Jesus on Thursday in the West Bank.

Revered by Christians as a place of peace, Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity stood in contrast to symbols of conflict Bush saw earlier in a motorcade from Jerusalem to the city of Ramallah, where he met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The drive gave Bush a first-hand look at many of the more contentious issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including the separation fence, Israel Defense Forces checkpoints, and West Bank settlements.
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In a courtyard next to the centuries-old church in Manger Square, Bush voiced hope a future state would bring an end to Israeli security measures, allowing Palestinians far greater freedom.

"Some day, I hope that as a result of the formation of a Palestinian state, there won't be walls, and checkpoints. People will move freely in a democratic [Palestinian] state," Bush said.

"That's the vision, greatly inspired by my belief that there is an Almighty, and a gift of that Almighty to each man, woman and child on the face of the Earth is freedom."

After voicing confidence in achieving an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal this year, Bush traveled by helicopter to Bethlehem, a town whose lifeblood tourist industry has been hit hard by the past seven years of violence between the sides.

A devout Christian, Bush entered the basilica, one of the oldest churches in continuous use in the world, through its small "Door of Humility" and said his soul was uplifted by the "place where our savior was born".

The door to the church, originally built in the fourth century, was made low to stop marauders entering on horseback.

Bush was greeted by a group of bearded Greek Orthodox priests wearing black robes and held hands with two of them as he visited the church's grotto, where a 14-point star marks the spot where the faithful believe the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ.


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      1.   i talk to gawd you know? 20:45  |  george 10/01/08
      2.   Thanks for posting! 21:04  |  Gina 10/01/08
      3.   he also saw into PUTIN`S SOUL..... 21:12  |  amir 10/01/08
      4.   Coke goes green 21:19  |  Gary 10/01/08
      5.   Ask this question 21:22  |  MichaelF 10/01/08
      6.   Zealots 21:22  |  Clickfool 10/01/08
      7.   Your "Savior" Was A "West Bank Settler" 21:30  |  Yishai Kohen 10/01/08
      8.   Jesus George 21:31  |  Chaim Gorenstein 10/01/08
      9.   HOW MANY PEOPLE COULD BE KILLED AFTER THIS MEETING 21:38  |  indrajaya 10/01/08
      10.   Bush is a christian? what a joke 21:43  |  Christain syrian 10/01/08
      11.   Christians dominate the Western World: We CREATED IT 21:43  |  Christians 10/01/08
      12.   Respect to President Bush for his faith 21:44  |  Bjorn 10/01/08
      13.   Hardly any talk back about this 21:46  |  Denise 10/01/08
      14.   Bush a "devout Christian?" 21:57  |  MK Evans 10/01/08
      15.   Devout Christian? My foot! 21:58  |  Vierotchka 10/01/08
      16.   To Micheal #4 21:58  |  Denise 10/01/08
      17.   Christian? 22:05  |  P. J. Casey 10/01/08
      18.   President Bush visits Bethlehem. 22:07  |  sandra chitayat 10/01/08
      19.   respecting others beliefs 22:19  |  Tony 10/01/08
      20.   Bush, read your Bible! 22:20  |  Andras Bereny 10/01/08
      21.   to MichaelF 22:23  |  Elias 10/01/08
      22.   "a devout Christian" 22:29  |  tom 10/01/08
      23.   president bush 22:47  |  george 10/01/08
      24.   christian apocalypse 22:48  |  staydead23 10/01/08
      25.   What would Jesus say to George today? 22:49  |  Maureen Ann 10/01/08
      26.   #9 22:55  |  Jane 10/01/08
      27.   #10 22:56  |  Jane 10/01/08
      28.   devout christan 23:15  |  bill 10/01/08
      29.   What a dishonor.. 23:20  |  Bethlehemite 10/01/08
      30.   Bush - A Christian??? 23:30  |  DoubleClick 10/01/08
      31.   To Christians at #11 23:35  |  Vierotchka 10/01/08
      32.   zionist crusader 00:01  |  kal 11/01/08
      33.   to Syrian Christian#10 00:04  |  Francois 11/01/08
      34.   Test 00:07  |  Test 11/01/08
      35.   Bush ISN`T A Devout Christian! Be Careful WHAT You Call Devout!!! 00:10  |  Proud Pal Defender 11/01/08
      36.   reply to all 00:32  |  Jesus servant 11/01/08
      37.   a devout Christian would know the Bible 00:38  |  carolyn daniels 11/01/08
      38.   The Beast 00:43  |  Jerusalemite Goy 11/01/08
      39.   The Nativity Scene 01:56  |  Ricardo 11/01/08
      40.   Saint George W. Bush 02:04  |  Rodney Dezarn 11/01/08
      41.   # 25 Bethlehemite....That`s how it is when 02:05  |  Lynn 11/01/08
      42.   29. you would have to be braindead to think bush has anything 02:11  |  christian 11/01/08
      43.   34. j`lem goy? you not a goy at all are you? 02:14  |  think we are cattle? 11/01/08
      44.   village idiot on holiday 02:18  |  gearoid 11/01/08
      45.   George Bush - a devout Christian 02:20  |  Len Viola 11/01/08
      46.   Bush a Christian! 02:38  |  lakshmi 11/01/08
      47.   A bad idea to let him see 03:16  |  Colin Wright 11/01/08
      48.   Did he pray for the conversion of all Jews? What kind of friend? 03:21  |  jeremy Martin 11/01/08
      49.   IF NOT A DEVOUT CHRISTIAN, WHO WAS HE? 03:45  |  indrajaya 11/01/08
      50.   Anti-Bush, you are just jealous, beacuse 04:35  |  Cristo 11/01/08
      51.   Bethlehemite 04:43  |  Gina 11/01/08
      52.   HOW COME CHRISTANS LEFT 04:50  |  TOBIA 11/01/08
      53.   #45 Len Viola, you are quite wrong 05:17  |  Vierotchka 11/01/08
      54.   # 20 Hey Andras, read ALL of it; 07:36  |  A. Sleeper 11/01/08
      55.   To Tobia in Post #52 07:40  |  A. Sleeper 11/01/08
      56.   Say what you want about Bush: He has broken the "Great Taboo" 08:24  |  A. Sleeper 11/01/08
      57.   Say what you want about Bush: He has broken the "Great Taboo" 10:07  |  A. Sleeper 11/01/08
      58.   #29 Bethlehemite--Shutting Things Down Is STANDARD Procedure.:) 11:30  |  Proud Pal Defender 11/01/08
      59.   #11 christians 11:57  |  danny 11/01/08
      60.   #25what wouls jesussay to george bush 16:56  |  danny 11/01/08
      61.   #9 indrijaya 17:14  |  danny 11/01/08
      62.   The "Great Political Taboo" has finally been broken! (2nd try) 05:00  |  eric 12/01/08
      63.   NR 49 INDY of INDY, What about your 05:02  |  Cristo 12/01/08
      64.   # 52 Tobia, Christians do not hold God to a place other than... 15:29  |  Selah 12/01/08
      65.   God has all the emotions Love has... God IS Love. 15:56  |  Selah 12/01/08
      66.   Geo.W. Bush a Christian Crusader 16:09  |  Petra 12/01/08
      67.   # 20 AMEN, AMEN, AND AMEN!!!!!!! 16:16  |  Petra 12/01/08
      68.   #18 If he enters Russia does that make him Russian? 16:18  |  Petra 12/01/08
      69.   # 65 G-d is love and He doesn`t love Bushs lies 16:24  |  Petra 12/01/08
      70.   # 18 Bush sobered up and fell in 16:29  |  Petra 12/01/08
      71.   God set the Jews apart, not to be seperate... 16:34  |  Selah 12/01/08
      72.   # 38 Bush ANOTHER BEAST 16:35