Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, Nazareth – Visitors Guide

According to Eastern Orthodox belief, the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation is positioned where Virgin Mary drew water at the Annunciation time.

Names

Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation has three names. Besides the name in the title, it is also called the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Gabriel and Mary’s Well Church.

It is called Saint Gabriel Church since Gabriel was the angel who told Mary that she was carrying the son of God. And once you enter the church, you can understand the third name. In the church, you can see streaming water. This water runs to the nearby site, Mary’s Well (about 140 meters away). Therefore it is also called Mary’s Well Church.

Note: from this point on, I will use the three names interchangeably.

Map

Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation is on Street Al-Bishara Street 62, Nazareth. This is the same street as the Church of the Annunciation.

Directions for drivers: Link to Waze and Link to Google Maps
Directions for public transport: Link to Moovit

Interactive map of the area:

Directions

Since it is located close to the Church of the Annunciation, you can use the same directions and parking suggestions that I mentioned in that guide.

Opening Hours

According to Christian Information Center, the opening hours are:

Monday – Saturday 7:00 – 18:00
Sunday 7:00 – 13:00

But several websites mention that the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation is closed on Sundays. Thus, if you are going to visit on Sunday, I would suggest verifying the opening hours.

Entrance Fee

Free.

Dress Code

The dress code of this place is similar to all other religious places. I call it “knees and shoulders.” That means the clothes must reach the knees (preferably below them) and cover the shoulders.

Saint Gabriel Church

My latest visit to this church was a little before Christmas. Hence you can see a Christmas tree.

The Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, also known as the Church of St. Gabriel or St. Gabriel’s Greek Orthodox Church, is an Eastern Orthodox church in Nazareth, Israel. Likely first established in Byzantine-era Palaestina Prima, it was rebuilt during the time of the Crusades, and again in the 18th century under the rule of Zahir al-Umar, the Arab governor of the Galilee.

Known colloquially among the Greek Orthodox worshippers of Galilee whom it serves as Kniset el-Rûm, or Church of the Eastern Romans in Levantine Arabic, the church is located over an underground spring, which according to Eastern Orthodox belief is where the Virgin Mary was drawing water at the time of the Annunciation. Water from the spring still runs inside the apse of the church and also fed the adjacent site of Mary’s Well, located 140 m away.

Source: Wikipedia

Inside The Church

You will see a beautiful space as you enter the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation. Here it is:

There is a gallery on the side of this room. So I took the stairs to the second floor, and this is how it looks from there.

People in the photos above stand in line and wait for their turn to see the spring. The spring itself is not in this hall but inside a nearby room that can be reached by several stairs.

Actually, the nearby room is another structure. Here is the full explanation:

The church is located approximately 650 meters from the Basilica of the Annunciation and 130 meters from Mary’s Well, which sits alongside the road leading to Saffuriyya. The underground chapel from the medieval era containing the spring is accessed from within the present church by descending seven steps. Measuring 10 meters long, 3.3 meters wide, and 3.5 meters high, at the end of this low vaulted cavern, presumably built by the Crusaders in the 12th century, ancient Armenian tilework decorates the walls leading to a small recess. There, below an altar with a semi-circular apse, a shaft leads down to the spring, and one can lower a metal cup to draw water. On the wall to the east, there is a doorway, whose entryway is blocked, and it thought that this is the stairway to which Quaresmi referred in his writings.

Modern decorative murals cover the walls and the ceilings of the overground structure built in the 18th century. The iconostasis hides the altar from view, in keeping with Eastern Orthodox tradition. The tomb of the founder of the Church can be seen along the north wall.

Source: Wikipedia

We saw the spring, but I decided not to hold it by taking photos since there was a long line. So here are several additional photos from the newer part of the church.

Summary

Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, also known as Saint Gabriel Church, is among the most popular churches in Nazareth. And if you are visiting the city, I recommend stopping there and the nearby Mary’s Well.

Note: if you are looking for additional nearby attractions, browse the map at the top of this post or see Nazareth.

Have you ever been to the Saint Gabriel Church? Tell us in the comments below.

That’s all for today, and I’ll see you in future travels!

Stay Tuned!

Additional Resources

Here are several resources that I created to help travelers:

• Trip Planner with Attractions and Itineraries is the page that will help you create your perfect travel route.
• What is the Best Time to visit Israel? To answer this question, we will consider the weather, prices, holidays, festivals, and more.
• Information and Tips for Tourists to Israel will answer the most common questions tourists have about Israel (including safety, passports, weather, currency, tipping, electricity, and much more).
• Israel National Parks and Nature Reserves include a complete list, top ten, map, tickets (Israel Pass, Matmon, combo), and campsites.
• If you are looking for things to do, here are the pages for Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Sea Of Galilee, Akko (Acre), Eilat, Nazareth, Safed (Tzfat), and Makhtesh Ramon.