St. Anne Church (Sepphoris, Israel)
City:
Sepphoris
State, Province, Region, or District:
Northern District, Galilee Region
Country:
Israel
Overview
The St. Anne church in Sepphoris, also known as the Church of St. Anna, is a 12th-century Crusader church located in the ancient city of Sepphoris, in the Galilee region of Israel. It is believed to be built over the site where Saint Anne and her husband Joachim lived, according to apocryphal tradition, and where their daughter, the Virgin Mary, was born. The church is a significant pilgrimage site, particularly for the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne on July 26th.
Alternate Names
St. Anne’s Church; Church of St. Anne and Joachim; Church of the Nutrition
Geography & Location
In Sepphoris (also known as Zippori), the ruins of a Crusader church dedicated to St. Anne are located to the west of the summit, on the northwestern perimeter of Sepphoris National Park. Inside a walled enclosure, the three apses are still standing, now incorporated into the western wall of a modern Monastery of the Sisters of St. Anne (where the key to the enclosure is available).
Biblical, Historical, & Archaeological Background Information
Sepphoris is traditionally considered the hometown of Saint Anne and Saint Joachim, the parents of the Virgin Mary. While not explicitly mentioned in the New Testament, historical accounts as early as the 6th century place Sepphoris as the location where Mary's parents resided and where Mary was born. A 12th-century Crusader church, the Church of St. Anne, was built in Sepphoris, possibly on the site of Mary's parents' home.
Architecture
St. Anne’s Church (also called the Church of St. Anne and Joachim or the Church of the Nutrition) is a 20th-century Catholic church built over the Byzantine and Crusader-period remains in the ancient city of Sepphoris (Tzipori), 6 km northwest of Nazareth. It is maintained by the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land and stands within the Tzipori National Park, atop the acropolis hill near the Roman theater and Crusader fortress.