A new baptismal font appears to have been discovered at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in the West Bank.
The find would allow for more studies about the traditional birthplace of Jesus, Palestinian officials say.
On Saturday, Ziad al Bandak, head of a Palestinian presidential committee leading the church renovation, said that international experts were arriving to examine the font.
Mr al Bandak described the Byzantine artefact as a “magnificent” discovery that had been covered by a larger-known vessel.
UNESCO declared the Church of the Nativity a World Heritage site in 2013, and a restoration project was launched five years ago to overcome decades of neglect.
During holidays, especially Christmas, the church attracts pilgrims and tourists to the occupied West Bank town.
A font is a piece of church furniture used in baptisms, which often has a basin to hold water.
