Church of St. Gabriel (Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation) (Nazareth, Israel)
City:
Nazareth
State, Province, Region, or District:
Northern District, Galilee Region
Country:
Israel
Overview
Adjacent to Mary's Well, the Church of St. Gabriel is one of the two claimants to the site of the annunciation in which the angel Gabriel was sent to announce to the Virgin Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus Christ, the Messiah (the other being the Catholic Church of the Annunciation). According to the Greek Orthodox, whose Church of St Gabriel is adjacent, this is the true site of the Annunciation. But both traditions can be accommodated by an account in the early Protoevangelium of James. This apocryphal document says the archangel Gabriel first approached Mary as she went to draw water at the well. Frightened by the stranger’s approach, the young girl ran back to her home. There the archangel appeared again and this time delivered his message.
Geography & Location
Nazareth is in the northern part of Israel in the Lower Galilee area, north of the Jezreel Valley.
Biblical, Historical, & Archaeological Background Information
Very little is known about Nazareth from the ancient sources. Outside of the New Testament, Nazareth is never mentioned until the Byzantine period (4th c. AD). Archaeological excavations have confirmed that the city was only a small agricultural village during the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
Biblical & Historical References
Nazareth was the home of Joseph and Mary and the place where the angel Gabriel was sent to announce to the Virgin Mary that she would be the mother of Christ the Messiah (Luke 1:26-38).
Places of Interest
Mary's Spring