Belgian craftsmanship in Bethlehem
Thanks to the craftsmanship demonstrated by Ghent's Atelier Mestdagh, visitors to the church of St Catherine in Bethlehem may now, once again, admire the Belgian stained glass window in all its glory.
In 1926, Belgium donated this magnificent glass window, which is featured each year across the world on 24 December during the night mass in Bethlehem. The gift was an appropriate illustration of the historic and religious links between Belgium and the Holy Land throughout the ages.
When the time came to restore the glass window the work was awarded to the reputable Atelier Mestdagh in Ghent. The result was such a success that it received the Prize for Belgian heritage abroad in 2015.
Atelier Mestdagh, which was founded in 1947, is not only the oldest atelier in Belgium, it is also the only one of its kind when it comes to the art of glass windows.
The Church of St Catherine in Bethlehem is part of the Church of the Nativity, a church building in the Palestine area found on the site where Jesus is said to have been born and that was proclaimed a world heritage site by UNESCO in 2012.