Palestine came under the rule of the Byzantine Empire and Emperor Constantine legitimized Christianity and declared it the official religion of the state.
Palestine gradually became Christianized and many churches and monasteries were built at traditional sites associated with the life of Christ, among these the Church of the Resurrection (Holy Sepulchre) in Jerusalem and the Church of the Nativity in Beth Lehem. An influx of pilgrims visited the holy sites.
Era: Byzantine Period (325—640)
