Nazareth
Pictures by Fr. Tomás
Naz
areth offers a uniquely different experience to the visitor. Picturesque red
roofs and white stone churches ramble haphazardly down the slopes of this
ancient Galilee hillside, the summit of which overlooks the panorama of the
entire Jezreel Valley.
Today Nazareth, political and administrative capital of Galilee, is a busy town with a population made up of Christians and Muslims. On the outskirts of the historic town a "new Nazaret" (Nazareth Illit) has grown. Dominating the skyline of this low-lying town is the dome over the site of the Annunciation, a gem of architecture which the Franciscans, through the generous help of the Christians from all over the world has put up to mark this holy place.
Nazareth, being one of the most important Christian holy sites in the world,
has always been a very special haven for Christians & pilgrims. The visitor
finds an exciting Middle Eastern ambiance with exotic flavors and textures,
imbued with the famed warm and friendly hospitality of the Arab population, yet
retaining many spiritual oases of serenity and peace provided by the diverse
Christian orders in their beautiful Churches and Monasteries.
In the hill country of the tribe of Zebulon, a small village existed for almost two thousand years before the birth of Jesus and yet was virtually unknown in ancient texts and references. This village was unwalled and unprotected, built into a small chalk ridge with a single source of water several hundred meters away from the main body of the village. Small caves were closed in the front to make homes, used for generations. Its unimpressive nature is reflected in the statement of Nathaniel, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" [John 1:46].
Nazareth is home to the largest Arab community inside of Israel. The city is dotted with churches, convents and monasteries that have been built since the 6th century. The most known landmark in Nazareth is "The Basilica of The Annunciation", a Franciscan church dating back to 1730. In 1955, it was destroyed to give way to a new building completed in 1969.
The ancient town is now dwarfed by the massive modern village filled with Arab
Christians which now fills every ridge around the old village. A number of
archaeologists have concluded that the population of the ancient village likely
never exceeded 500persons at the time that Joseph and Mary made this village
their home.
The construction allowed the site to be excavated, the results of which are on view in the Franciscan Museum within the walls of the church. The church covers the traditional site of the Virgin Mary's house, the Virgin's cave, where the archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary to herald the birth of Jesus as described by Luke: " The angel Gabriel was sent from God unto the city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin
espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary".
A small sanctuary is dedicated to Conon, a 3rd century martyr originally from Nazareth and a member of Jesus' family. Graffiti on the wall has made it easier to understand Judeo-Christians, Jesus' first disciples. The church is also covered with magnificent art from all around the World.
Across from the square is St. Joseph's Church built over the cave thought to be Joseph's house.
The Greek-Catholic Church in the center of the animated suq (market) is the site of the synagogue where Jesus is said to have preached as a young man. Uphill on Paul VI Street, you come to Mary's Well, the water of which is said to heal all ailments.
Further uphill, you come to St Gabriel Greek Orthodox Church, which stands over the town's original water source.
Nazareth has the honor of being known as the "home town" of Jesus Christ. In fact, many Christian people often refer to their Savior as "Jesus of Nazareth".
But one of the greatest ironies about Nazareth is that, although it is now world-famous as the Savior's home town, the people of His time held Him with such low regard, to the point of contempt and even outright hate, that He didn't perform many miracles there.
It was in Nazareth that the angel Gabriel
appeared to Mary to announce the coming birth of Christ. Joseph and Mary lived
there after their marriage, and it was from there, as the well-known account
goes, they went down south to Bethlehem to register for the census that had been
ordered by the Roman rulers. It was during that trip that Jesus was born, in
Bethlehem. Jesus did not however get to see Nazareth for some time - after being
warned by another angel Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt with the newborn Jesus to
save His life from Herod. There they remained for a time until after the
tyrant's death.
Nazareth is the town that lived the long "awaiting" with the Son of God as one
of its children. It is here that "he grew in wisdom"; here that he spent most of
his life on earth, here that he started to live the "human experience" sheltered
by the loving mother Mary and the caring father Joseph. Here the Sacred family
worked its way in a humble house. Here Jesus went to the Synagogue to study the
Torah and the Prophets, to Praise the Father. Here he worked with his own hands
as a carpenter. From here he went to Jerusalem every year on the Jewish feasts
of pilgrimage. And it is from here that he went to the Judean desert to start
his public ministry and proclaim the "Good News".
After He grew up, Jesus would have worked hard with Joseph (who is very
likely buried somewhere around Nazareth) in the family construction business.
Later, Jesus began His ministry at the synagogue there. Altogether, Jesus
probably lived in Nazareth about 25 years.
Jesus went to the synagogue every Saturday all the years he lived in town. But
his own people were hostile to him. They did not accept one of the town's
children. They wanted to throw him from over the cliff! In fact, it eventually
got so bad that He actually had to move away to Capernaum to keep His neighbors
from killing him! So Jesus left his hometown never again to set foot there.
After his Death and Resurrection in Jerusalem the people of Nazareth kept alive the tradition of the house where the Annunciation took place. A site of such importance could not remain unknown to the early Christians and above all to the next of kin of the Lord, of Mary and Joseph. It is thanks to them that today we can visit Nazareth and bow in silence to hear the "voice" announcing "Hail Mary". It is thanks to them that you can kneel down and in silence meditate about the great "mystery of love" that evolved on and around the unknown town.
In 1730, when the Franciscans of the Holy Land erected the little church over the Grotto of the Annunciation, it was not possible to undertake any archaeological excavation. The reason is that the permission to build - won with great difficulty and at great cost - allowed only six months for all construction from beginning to end. Thus, there was barely time to level the ruins and put up the walls.
With the coming of better times, Brother Benedict Vlaminck undertook a short season of excavation in 1892 and brought to light the remains of the ancient Byzantine buildings around the Grotto, as well as the plan of the Crusader basilica. We must credit him also with finding the mosaic of Conon, still to be admired to the left of the main shrine. During the years 1889 and 1907-l909, Father Prosper Viaud, O.F.M., directed further excavations. There came to light columns, mosaics and graffiti of many devout pilgrims. At this time, too, the magnificent Crusader capitals were found (today preserved in the adjacent museum). For a long time, the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land wanted to erect a church really worthy of the great mystery commemorated at Nazareth. For various reasons, the idea had to be postponed time and time again. Finally, in 1951 the Custody put aside a preliminary design by the noted architect Antonio Barluzzi (he who had adorned the Holy Land with many of its finest churches) and commissioned Professor Giovanni Muzio to prepare fresh plans for a basilica. It was to incorporate the venerable Grotto of the Annunciation and preserve to the fullest the remains of the ancient Christian churches found at Nazareth. They would thus form visible evidence of the long story of devotion to the particular mystery honored in this place.
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