On your tour of the revered religious landmarks of Nazareth, visit the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation. Also called St. Gabriel’s Church, it is built over a venerated spring that once fed the well where the angel Gabriel supposedly visited the Virgin Mary. Experience the sanctity and spiritual importance of the spring. Admire wall and ceiling paintings that portray significant moments from the Bible and the life of Jesus.
Established in the 12th century by the Crusaders, the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation replaced an earlier Byzantine church. Destroyed by the Mamluk Sultan Baybars in the 1200s, the Ottomans rebuilt it in 1750. Today’s church resembles a fortress, with a monumental white-stone portal leading to a courtyard outside the main entrance. Mosaics depicting Mary and Jesus adorn a wall on the western side of the courtyard.
Step inside and descend a small staircase to the crypt to see the venerated spring. In ancient times this was the city’s only natural water source and it supplied water to nearby Mary’s Well. Greek Orthodox tradition states that Gabriel first visited Mary at the well. Observe as devotees ask for blessings while tossing coins and handwritten messages into the spring.
The church nave is a floor-to-ceiling artistic masterpiece. Flamboyant paintings interpret scenes from the life of the Holy Family, such as Jesus preaching to his disciples. An elaborate wooden iconostasis stands behind the main altar. Study its intricate craftsmanship in addition to further paintings of religious figures.
Located in central Nazareth, the church is a short walk from other important landmarks. Visit Mary’s Well, the recreation of the watering hole where the annunciation is said to have taken place. Adjacent to here is the Ancient Bath House of Nazareth, a Roman-era bath house discovered inside a shop in 1993.
The Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation is open daily, except Sunday, and admission is free. It closes for an hour at midday. Visitors are expected to dress in modest clothing when entering the church.
