Our Lady of Bethlehem
Completed 2019
Our Lady of Bethlehem is the oldest Madonna in California and the second oldest in the United States. The life size statue called Nuestra Señora de Belén was originally brought to Carmel by Fr. Serra during the first expedition to California in 1769 and dates back to the 16th century.
This preservation was led by the Carmel Mission Docent Association with additional funding support from the Carmel Mission Foundation. Conservation work restored the gown, statue and display upgrades to better protect and preserve one of the oldest statues in California
