The Grotto Of The Annunciation

The Grotto of the Annunciation is the traditional place where the Angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary in Nazareth. This is another of the sanctuaries that are in the Christian Memorials of the Holy Land. The Grotto of Nazareth bears record to be the exact location in which the events in the Gospel account of the Annunciation took place. It was here that Mary heard the words of the Angel Gabriel. It also was here that she responded out of her heart. This is one of the most important sites for Christian pilgrims coming to the Holy Land. It is a magnificent shrine. The divine encounter and history of this grotto is summed up in the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke:

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

Luke 1:26-38
26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

On entering the Grotto of the Annunciation, you will see the remains of the natural rock walls that formed the original room. It is amazing how much remains. Because of the humidity, much of the original rock has crumbled over the years. It was replaced with sections of white stonework. The ceiling also underwent a few cosmetic changes in the past. Earlier religious groups wanted to make the Grotto seem like a chapel, so they made it slightly rounded. Recently, several holes were made to ensure good ventilation coming into the grotto. Because of the high humidity inside, it has significant deterioration.

The main altar (shown in the picture above) bears an inscription in Latin: “Verbum caro hic factum est.” The translation in English is: “Here” the Word became flesh. Until the latter part of the last century, there were five other altars in the Grotto. There is a small grotto to the north, further inside the Grotto. It is shaped in a half circle and has had an ancient altar within. It was dedicated to Saint Joseph centuries ago. Currently there is a column that holds the tabernacle.

Also visible down in the lower level are the partial remains of the Byzantine and Crusader churches that preceded the Basilica of the Annunciation. These ruins are surprisingly in good shape, considering their age. The original architecture is intriguing! Behind the altar of the Annunciation is a separate grotto. This grotto is thought to be Mary’s kitchen. Can you visualize dinner being served? You can get to the grotto by a stairway that is built into the wall off to the side of the main grotto.

Currently, the Basilica of the Annunciation is the parish church for 7,000 Catholics who live in the town of Nazareth. The basilica and the Grotto are two major Holy Sites for Catholic and Protestant pilgrims. It is of interest to all who value the History of the Holy Land. If you haven’t made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land or embarked on an Israel Adventure, this would be a great time to book your Holy Land experience. Dust off your bag and locate your passport. See you in the Holy Land.

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Basilica Of The Annunciation

The Basilica of the Annunciation is one of the world’s Holy sites for Christian pilgrims. It is magnificent! The Basilica is a Roman Catholic Church in Nazareth. Nazareth is located in Northern Israel. It is an oasis in the desert! How beautiful the North is! The Basilica of the Annunciation was built at the traditional site where it is believed that the Angel Gabriel announced the birth of Jesus. This story is found in the Gospels in Luke 1: 26-38. This is an extremely important site to Catholic and Orthodox pilgrims. The church was built at the location where, according to Roman Catholic tradition, the annunciation took place.

The Greek Orthodox tradition holds that this event occurred elsewhere. They believe it was while Mary was getting water from a local spring in Nazareth. The Greek Orthodox built the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation at the site of this spring. It also is extremely beautiful! The stain glass windows are fantastic. The colors are bright! It is joyful! Nazareth invites you to spend the day or spend the week. The Basilica has something for everyone!

The towering cupola of the Basilica stands over the city of Nazareth. It is over the cave that tradition holds to be the childhood home of Mary. This cave is located beneath the modern Roman Catholic Church. Inside, at the lower level, contains the Grotto of the Annunciation. This is believed by Roman Catholics to be the location of the original childhood home of Mary. As is often the case, churches are built up over Holy sites to protect them from destruction. The site has been well protected. The Basilica is very beautiful! The stained glass windows are breathtaking! The architectural detail is magnificent! Come explore with us! Adventure is in the air!

The Basilica of the Annunciation was built in 1969. It is a massive two story building overlooking Nazareth. It is on the site of both Crusader and Byzantine ruins. For Roman Catholics, The Basilica of the Annunciation is considered a major Holy site. All Roman Catholic pilgrims consider this an important site in which to visit. It is here they come to pray! The gardens around the Basilica are magnificent! There is a sense of peace! Tranquility is in the air.

The Basilica is a beautiful building. The architecture is amazing! The building is massive! It is actually two churches. The upper church is the local parish church for the Catholic community in Nazareth. It is an active community! The cupola stands high above the town of Nazareth. At the top of the cupola is a lantern! It symbolizes that Jesus is the Light of the World. The door leading into the church is hand carved. It depicts the different stages of the life of Jesus. Above the triple doorway entrance to the church are written the words of John 1:14 in Latin. This is a fantastic place! You can relax! Joy is in the air! Come join us for a time of peaceful visitation! History is everywhere at the Basilica. Peace abounds! The beauty is amazing! The Basilica of the Annunciation is majestic. Thanks to its extraordinary geographical, historical and cultural diversity, Nazareth is magnificent! The people are friendly! The history is amazing! The weather is perfect! Nazareth is a city that really is very different.