About the Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth, Israel:
Over the remains of the Crusader and the Byzantine churches built in Nazareth a modern Catholic church is he Basilica of the Annunciation. The cave it incorporates from the Gabriel the news the Virgin Mary received in which that to Jesus she would give birth. Since the earliest time has been a destination of pilgrimage is the site and still today for the Holy Land pilgrims remains as an important stop.
The history of the Basilica of the Annunciation:
Scarce are the history on the Nazareth the early source, but in the Byzantine and Roman periods a small Jewish town was the Nazareth says the Eusebius. In the 3rd century by the historian Africanus is provided in Nazareth to Christianity of Jewish converts the evidence and in the late 4th century is first attested the pilgrimage to Nazareth.
Inside the basilica what is enshrined the cave than the 4th century no later was identified of the Annunciation as the place. Here was built when the first church it is not known, but by the early 4th century probably existed one. To in c.384 AD is referred an altar and by the c.670 AD is mentioned a church.
Beneath the current church has been excavated a Byzantine church, from the 4th or 5th century which dates a large atrium, a single apse of projecting and three aisles it had. In the south of the church was built a small monastery. In Nazareth two churches was recorded seeing the pilgrim Arculf inc.680, at the Mary’s spring there was one and of the Annunciation on the traditional site was the other, where stands today the Basilica of the Annunciation.
Than the Byzantine church was larger the Crusader church it was built over which. Six bays and three aisles had the church, fronting three apses by a dome covered with a crossing probably. In 1187 after the Battle of the Horns of Hattin, in the church took as the refuge of the Nazareth the Christian inhabitants but later they were slaughtered. In 1192 to the shrine to return and the Christian access granted a few clergy allowed Salah al-Din. In 1251 made a pilgrimage here St. Louis. In the 14th century in Nazareth a monastery established by the Franciscans, however, in 1955 was demolished the Franciscan church of the Present church for the construction.
At the Basilica of the Annunciation what to see:
With a 55 meters high a concrete dome which is uniquely shaped is topped the modern day church of the Basilica of the Annunciation. On the Madonna lily is based on its shape, of the Virgin Mary a symbol. An upper and two lower church consists the inside of the basilica. From around the world by the communities donated with the mosaics of Virgin is decorated the vast upper church.
On the cave or the Grotto of the Annunciation centers the lower church, where to have occurred is believed to Mary the angelic announcement. The present one which preceded the Byzantine and Crusaders churches here are the remains also visible.
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