About Nazareth:
In 1954, as the Catholic Church prepared to build the modern Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, the traditional home of the Holy Family, Franciscan priest and archaeologist Fr. Bellarmino Bagatti led a major excavation beneath the site. Skeptics at the time claimed Nazareth didn’t even exist during Jesus’ lifetime and dismissed the Gospels as myth. But Fr. Bagatti’s rigorous scientific work proved them wrong.
His team uncovered clear evidence of a real 1st-century Jewish hamlet:
– Agricultural silos carved into rock for grain storage
– Ancient oil presses for daily life
– Early Christian graffiti and symbols on stone walls
– Caves, pits, and household features of a humble Galilean village
These discoveries, documented extensively by Fr. Bagatti in his scholarly works, confirmed that Nazareth was a small village of farmers, artisans, and faithful Jews, the perfect setting for the Incarnation, where the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
This article from EWTN will tell more of the story.
About the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth:
The Basilica of the Annunciation, consecrated in 1969, now stands as both a place of profound prayer and a living witness to this historical truth. Beneath its grand structure lie the very layers of earth that Jesus, Mary, and Joseph once walked upon. Construction on the Basilica of the Annunciation began in 1955 and was completed in 1969, making it one of the newest Basilicas in the Holy Land. The lower level you will find an exposed area said to be the place where the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce that she would become the Mother of God.
The actual “Holy House” as it came to be called, is now in Loreto, Italy.
The upper church actually serves as the parish church for the city of Nazareth.
Tel: +972 4-656-0001
Click here for the official website of the custodia in Nazareth (including Mass times & other useful information)
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