EN ▾EN ▾
Shepherds' Field is the area near Bethlehem where, according to Luke's Gospel, angels appeared to shepherds and announced the birth of Jesus.
Just outside Bethlehem, in the village of Beit Sahour, lie the fields honored as the place where shepherds were keeping watch over their flocks by night when the sky filled with angels. It is one of the gentlest and most beloved scenes in the whole Christmas story.
Today the site holds a chapel and quiet gardens, along with natural caves of the kind shepherds have used for shelter here for thousands of years. It is a peaceful counterpoint to the busier Basilica of the Nativity nearby.
This is where the angel told the shepherds that a Savior had been born, and a great company of angels praised God.
The Gospel records the announcement to ordinary working men, not to kings, which is part of why the scene moves people so deeply. The message came first to the humble.
Why does Shepherds' Field matter to pilgrims?
It is the place where the good news came first to the poor and lowly, which speaks to the heart of the Gospel. In our years of guiding groups here, we have watched this quiet field affect people more than they expect. Standing where the announcement came to shepherds, many feel the tenderness of a God who came first to the overlooked.
It is in Beit Sahour, just east of Bethlehem, a short drive from the Basilica of the Nativity, in the West Bank.
Yes, a chapel, peaceful gardens, and ancient shepherds' caves. It is a reflective, uncrowded stop rather than a grand monument.
Holy Sites
Tell us which sites you hope to see and we will shape a journey around them.
