Visiting the Sacred City of Nazareth3720830
Nazareth is the childhood home of Jesus, therefore a must-see destination for every Christian that is visiting Israel. Thousands of Christian tourists visit Nazareth year after year. Surprisingly, even the non-Christian visitors consider Nazareth as one of the places they should include in their respective itineraries. The city offers an authentic experience that blends modern times with ancient stories.
Nazareth is the capital city of the northern district of Israel. Incidentally, it is also the district's largest city. In its vastness, it serves as a home to various biblical sites that give significant associations to Christian pilgrimage. The streets of Nazareth are constantly flocked by pilgrims from different parts of the globe for the last two thousand years.
Nazareth, however, was not always the large city that it is today. According to the New Testament, it was just a small Jewish village when Joseph and Mary moved to the city to raise their son, Jesus. In this generation, it serves as a home to Christians, Muslims and Israeli Arabs. Nazareth may not look like the old village it once was, but it managed to maintain the biblical places that people go to the city for.
In this article, you will find a list of some of Nazareth structural treasures that withstood the changing times.
1. The Catholic Basilica of the Annunciation - The church is considered as one of the holiest places in the whole of Israel. It is the largest Christian infrastructure in the Middle East. According to Roman Catholic teachings, it is the site where the Virgin Mary was told by the Archangel Gabriel that she would bear the child Jesus.
2. The Greek Orthodox Church of the Archangel Gabriel - This religious structure is also sometimes referred to as St. Gabriel's Church. The East Orthodox claims that it is this church that stands in the location where the annunciation occurred.
3. The Greek Catholic Synagogue Church - This church is more often referred to as the Church of the Synagogue. This is said to be the traditional location where Jesus proclaimed his teachings to the people.
4. The Church of St. Joseph's Carpentry - This serves as the traditional location of the workshop of Joseph, where Jesus took the role of being his helper. While exploring the area, you get encouraged to see St. Joseph as a model of chastity and fatherly love. Also, you will also learn to see his devotion to his labors as a solid inspiration and motivation for your everyday endeavors.
5. The Mensa Christi Church - This is reported to be the place where the resurrected Jesus dined with his faithful apostles after His death from the cross.
No matter how much the world has changed, the devoted people from different nations still see these places as among the top destinations in the world that they would give everything to see. Without a doubt, these places can definitely touch the depths of one's soul in an inexplicable manner. It is also amazing how these ancient infrastructures have survived the challenges of time. For a number of generations, these biblical structures are maintained and preserved for all of us to bear witness at. These buildings also serve as a constant reminder for us of a great story that once happened in Nazareth and the entire Holy Land.
It is, perhaps, because of these monuments that some people find it hard to imagine that modernization has also reached Nazareth. Some holidaymakers even think that accommodation options are very limited in the city. On the contrary, within the same city where these ancient edifices stand lie dozens of hotels that cater to different visitors with varying budget demands. As a matter of fact, some of them are even the best Israel hotels that the land has to offer. These modern hotels might be a huge contrast to the concept of Nazareth that we have built in our minds. However, they sure provide a great deal of comfort as they are easily accessible to the must-see places in the vicinity.
For a comprehensive list of Nazareth churches, visit Nazareth Churches.
