Touching the Promised Land 06 | Day 1 - NAZARETH
- Regina Liu
- Jan 14
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 17
HOMETOWN OF JESUS OUR LORD
As we departed the coastal plains and journeyed inland, my hearts turned with anticipation toward the hill country of Galilee and the humble town of Nazareth. This is the place the Angel Gabriel called Mary "highly favored," where the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. For thirty years, this was the backdrop for the silent, hidden life of Jesus Christ before His public ministry began. To walk its streets is to walk in the footsteps of the Holy Family itself.
Highlights
Nazareth is one of the most significant Christian pilgrimage sites in the world. Its profound significance stems from its intimate connection with the life of Jesus Christ, who is thus known throughout the Scriptures as "Jesus of Nazareth."
This was the home of the Virgin Mary, where she received the Annunciation and conceived by the Holy Spirit. It was also the primary residence where Jesus lived, worked, and "grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man" (Luke 2:52) before commencing His public ministry.
The Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, alongside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, forms a triumvirate of Christianity's most holy sites. All three were first constructed under Emperor Constantine the Great in the 4th century and have been rebuilt multiple times on their original, sacred foundations.
During the drive, our guide provided a helpful overview of modern Nazareth: it serves as the capital and largest city of Israel's Northern District. The population is predominantly Arab, with a Muslim majority within that community. Dozens of churches dot the cityscape, with more than a dozen sites commemorating the Annunciation. The two most prominent are the Catholic Basilica of the Annunciation and the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation.
Upon arrival, our time was limited. We walked a short distance up a slope in the Old City and focused our visit solely on the Basilica of the Annunciation (circled in red on the map of Nazareth Old City) before departing for our hotel on the Sea of Galilee.
Perhaps it was the time constraints, visiting only one place near the day's end, that prevented me from fully absorbing the atmosphere of this holy city. Perhaps some of the modern artistic decorations within the Basilica, which differed from my expectations, left me feeling somewhat disconnected. Or perhaps it simply revealed gaps in my own spiritual preparation. For whatever reason, and quite unexpectedly, I struggled to find a deep sense of meaning inside this most famous church—a feeling that culminated in a vague, inexplicable sense of loss.
Points of Interest inside the Basilica of the Annunciation
The Front Facade:
Completed in 1969, this is the fifth church constructed on this hallowed site. The facade features striking reliefs: the Angel Gabriel on the upper left and the Virgin Mary on the upper right, capturing the moment of the Annunciation. Below them are the four Gospel writers. The walls are also inscribed with Latin texts.
Madonna Murals:
The Basilica's devotional focus is overwhelmingly on the Virgin Mary. The exterior corridors and interior walls are adorned with beautiful and diverse images of the Madonna and Child, created and donated by Christian communities from around the world. I had assumed these were only from Catholic nations, so I was deeply moved to discover one from China (the plaque clearly read "China" with the caption "Our Lady of China prays for us"). Our guide explained that the Vatican collected these to symbolize the global unity of Christ's Church. While most depictions show Mary with a kind and gentle demeanor, a few employ avant-garde artistic techniques that, to my eye, seemed to obscure her biblical humility and grace, leaving me with a sense of unease.
Church Door Reliefs:
The church doors themselves are a canvas for biblical history. The massive bronze main door depicts pivotal scenes from the life of Christ. The marble doorframe is carved with reliefs of key biblical figures, from Adam and Abraham to Moses and Peter. Other doors narrate events from the Old Testament—the Fall, the Great Flood, Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac—to the New Testament, showcasing Christ's miracles and teachings.
The Church Interior:
The current structure is the fifth on this site. The original was a 4th-century Byzantine church built over a venerated grotto. It was destroyed after the Muslim conquest, rebuilt by the Crusaders in the 12th century, and again fell into disrepair. For centuries, the Franciscan Order, with the steadfast support of local Christian families, preserved the holy grotto until a new church was built in the 18th century, later expanded in the 19th. The present modernist building was consecrated in 1969.
The church is built on two levels:
The Upper Church is at ground level and serves as the main parish church for worship. Its walls are adorned with stylistic murals and stained glass. Natural light filters gently from the ceiling, and I finally felt a sense of peace here after viewing the various artworks. An octagonal opening in the floor before the altar allows light to pour down into the lower level, connecting the two spaces.
The Lower Church is built around the Grotto of the Annunciation—the traditional site of Mary's home where the Angel Gabriel appeared to her. This simple rock grotto is the spiritual heart of the entire Basilica and its most sacred space.
The Basilica's deep focus on Mary prompted me to learn more about her that evening. I discovered that both the Bible and the Quran attest to her virginal conception by the Holy Spirit. I also read that her traditional birthday is commemorated on September 8th.
If Time Permitted…
I would first take time to walk the lanes of the Old City, seeking to understand this holy site from a broader perspective before entering the church itself. If time permitted, I would love to walk a segment of "The Jesus Trail," a 65-kilometer hiking path that connects Nazareth to Capernaum, passing several significant sites from His ministry—a wonderful way to prayerfully follow in the Lord's footsteps.
Touching the Promised Land 07 | DAY 2 – INTRO
TIBERIAS BY THE SEA OF GALILEE
Leaving the heights of Nazareth, we descended to the shores of the Kinneret, the Sea of Galilee.
Checking into the hotel as dusk fell, the waters where Jesus walked, taught, and calmed the storm were now just beyond my balcony. On the far shore, the Golan Heights stood tall and silent against the darkening sky, a stark reminder that this serene landscape of miracles has been a repeated stage for earthly strife.