Morning of Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Today was beautiful. During the night a wind blew away the high temperatures and the haze that perpetually hovers over the Sea of Galilee. It was cool and clear when we boarded the bus to head over the hills to Nazareth. We began our ascent from 686 feet below sea level, winding our way through the countryside catching glimpses of spectacular views of the Sea and surrounding country.
Close to Nazareth we drove through Cana, the village where Jesus performed the first recorded miracle—changing water into wine at a wedding. Predominantly Arab, Nazareth today has a population around 65,500. At the time of Jesus, two thousand years ago, some sources estimate the population at 200 to 400 people; others 500 to 1000.
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| Shop in Nazareth selling very large "tortilla"-like bread. The black dome in the forefront is the "griddle." |
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| Tourist shop on street in Nazareth |
Our first stop, the Church of the Annunciation commemorates the traditional site of Mary’s home where the archangel Gabriel proclaimed to a humble young girl the startling news that the Lord had found favor with her and selected her to bear a son who would be the Son of God. Inside the church and surrounding courtyard walls hang charming artwork donated from countries around the world that depict Mary and the Christ child.
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| Front of the Church of the Annunciation |
Our group was the first to arrive and this allowed us quiet time to explore the church. The present Catholic Church was built on the site of two prior churches constructed over the “sunken grotto,” the traditional cave-home of Mary. Sometimes services are held in the lower portion and visitors cannot get near the “home” but none were being held today so we were able to get close to the grotto.
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| Worship service in lower church (2009) |
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| Sunken grotto with cave-home of Mary inside the church. |
Close to the Church of the Annunciation is St. Joseph’s Church which tradition says was the place of Joseph’s carpenter shop.
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| The sculpture on St.Joseph's Church is "one of my husband's favorite things" in Israel. |
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| Inside St. Joseph's. Note the wooden ceiling. |
Finally we arrived at "one of my favorite" places in Israel: Nazareth Village. I could write several blog entries on this because I find it so meaningful. This re-created first-century farm and village, constructed on a hillside in the heart of Nazareth, became a reality in 2000. The purpose of the village is to transport visitors back to the time of Christ to help them gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of the Scriptures and Jesus’ teachings—to make Biblical accounts come alive. And that’s exactly what happened when we came in 2009 and again this time.
Archaeological excavations before the re-creation of the village revealed an exciting find: an original wine press and vat. It confirmed that this hillside now surrounded by modern Nazareth was a vineyard many years ago. They restored it and built terraces on the hill where they re-planted the “vineyard” with grape plants and olive trees.
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| Grapes were crushed at the place at top, and the juice would come down the small crevice (center top) to receptacle. |
Re-enactors at the village include a shepherd (plus sheep and goats!); workmen in the fields; watchman in the watchtower; a carpenter and woman of the home; others; and donkeys to enhance the teaching of the village.
The village also grows wheat and threshes it on a replica of an ancient threshing floor. There is an olive press; typical home at the time of Jesus; and a simple synagogue.
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| Daniel, our village guide, explains the function of a synagogue. |
A few changes had been made since 2009. A cross had been added in the visitors’ center of four rooms with informational displays designed to enrich understanding of the history of the village and the life and times of Jesus. This cross and the explanation by Daniel, our village guide, meant much more to me than the original Golgotha at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This was reality—stark, rough wooden cross stained with blood. While Jesus was crucified by the Roman soldiers, He gave his life—they didn’t take it. He died within six hours of being nailed to the cross—many required three days before they died.
For those who cannot go to Israel, I highly recommend exploring the Nazareth Village website.
