Nazareth - the Town of Jesus in the GalileeVery few tours to Israel do not include Nazareth in their itineraries. For Christians it is a must to visit the city. Here is a short summary of the Christian belief in relation to this city: This town was a small Jewish village some 2000+ years ago. In this village lived Mary the virgin and Joseph. According to tradition the angel Gabriel, appeared before Mary and told her she will become pregnant with Jesus. This is referred to as the Annunciation.Nazareth is also the place in which Jesus spent his childhood. Due to the above the city is a magnet to pilgrimage. But the city is an attraction for any visitor. It is located in the lower Galilee region in the northern part of Israel. By far the most important site to visit is the church of the annunciation. 
The church is composed of the lower church and the upper church. The lower part is centered around what is known as the Grotto or the cave. This Grotto is believed to be the place of the announcement to Mary by Gabriel the angel. Next to the lower part you can see the remains of the churches that preceded the modern church – the Byzantine and the crusader churches. The upper modern church was built in 1969 and is beautifully decorated with mosaics of the Virgin Mary. Want to learn an interesting detail? In the Hebrew language Christians are referred to as NOTZRIM, which translates into "those that came from Nazareth". aha… The city has many other churches, mosques and synagogues.A church that stands right beside the annunciation church is the church of saint Joseph. Per the tradition this church stands on the location of Joseph’s carpentry shop. Another worthwhile site for you is the white mosque. This house of prayer is also the house of an interesting museum about the city’s history. While you are visiting the city walk around to absorb the charm and visit the market. Try one of the great restaurants that serve Arab/Mediterranean/Israeli food.
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