In the Footsteps of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus, Who Was Born, Lived and Whose Life Most Probably Ended in the Holy Land
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Introduction For the Catholic visitor, a pilgrimage to the Holy Land can be a spiritual journey of reaffirmation and discovery. To stand within the historical landscape, to visit the holy places and sites mentioned in the Bible and the shrines associated with the life and ministry of Jesus, will provide inspiration for the inner, spiritual journey that each pilgrim hopes to experience during his or her stay. Following a specific theme and narrative will help accomplish this. One such pilgrimage follows in the footsteps of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, who was born, lived and whose life most probably ended in the Holy Land. Though she experienced the ultimate sorrow of a mother in witnessing the passion and death of her son, a pilgrimage in her honor is a joyous event for she was blessed by the grace of God, as it is written in the Gospel: "Rejoice, you who enjoy God's favor! The Lord is with you." (Luke 1:28)1 In experiencing the presence of the Virgin Mary in the Mystery of Jesus and in the Church, the pilgrim may choose to visit those sites directly associated with her life, or to broaden that experience with an expanded pilgrimage program. The following information provides a list of holy places and sites directly associated with Mary, with descriptions and practical information to help the visitor and pilgrimage organizer. Unless otherwise noted, all dates are CE (Common Era) The proposed itineraries include suggestions for organizing activities that will give added dimension to a pilgrimage honoring the Virgin Mary. 2 1 All Bible quotations are from the New Jerusalem Bible, 1985. 3 Table of Contents Introduction 3 The Twelfth Station 36 Nazareth 6 The Thirteenth Station 37 The Basilica of the Annunciation 8 The Franciscan Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament 37 The Church of St. Joseph 9 Ethiopian Orthodox Chapel of the Four Beasts 37 The Franciscan Museum 9 Church of the Redeemer (German Lutheran) 38 Mary of Nazareth International Center 10 Church of St Mark (Syrian Orthodox) 38 The Spring of the Virgin Mary (Mary’s Well) 10 Jerusalem – Outside the city walls of the Old City The Synagogue Church (Greek Catholic) 12 City of David National Park 40 Chapel of the Virgin Mary’s Fright 12 The Cenacle - the Upper Room 41 Elsewhere in the Galilee Tomb of King David 42 Sepphoris (Zippori) 13 Hagia Maria Sion Abbey on Mt. Zion – The Dormition Abbey 43 Cana 15 The Tomb of The Virgin 44 Church of the First Miracle The Model of Jerusalem in the Second Temple Period at the 44 Mount Tabor 16 Israel Museum The Basilica of the Transfiguration 17 Ein Karem 45 The Church of Elijah (Greek Orthodox) 18 Mary’s Spring 45 Lake Kinneret Convent of the Rosary 46 Capernaum 19 Church of the Visitation 46 The Church of the House of St. Peter 20 Church of St. John the Baptist 47 The Synagogue 21 Convent of Notre Dame de Sion 48 The Church of the Twelve Apostles (Greek Orthodox) 21 Public Images of the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem 48 Other sites around Lake Kinneret not directly associated 22 On the Way to Bethlehem with Mary The Tomb of Rachel 49 Haifa and Mount Carmel Bethlehem* The Monastery of Stella Maris 25 The Basilica of the Nativity 50 Elijah’s Cave 26 The Milk Grotto 50 Monastery of the Prophet Elijah (Deir al-Muhraka) 27 Abu Ghosh Jerusalem – The Old City 28 Church of Notre Dame de l’Arche de l’Alliance 51 Ancient Stairs leading to the Hulda Gates 29 The Abbey of St. Mary of the Resurrection The Western Wall 31 Beit Jamal 52 The Temple Mount 32 Deir Rafat 52 The Church of St. Anne (Bethesda Pool) 32 General Remarks 54 The Via Dolorosa 34 Suggested Itineraries 54 The Fourth Station 34 10-Day Itinerary 55 The Church of the Holy Sepulcher (the Church of the 35 Short 5-Day Itinerary 57 Resurrection, according to the Orthodox tradition) Israel Practical data 58 The Tenth Station 36 Map 59 4 *See page 50 5 The city of Nazareth was in the time of Jesus a small village. Its residents were farmers and craftsmen who probably depended on the nearby city of Sepphoris for most goods and services. The villagers led a traditional rural life, far removed from the influence of the occupying Romans (an influence strongly felt in the major cities). They may also have been a bit removed from some of the political, social and religious unrest within Jewish society at the time. From archaeological excavations we know that the ancient town of Jesus’ Tourist Information Center, Nazareth time was located in the area of the Opening hours: present Basilica of the Annunciation Mon-Fri: 8:30 am-5:00 pm and the nearby Church of St. Joseph. Sat: 9:00 am-1:00 pm NAZARETH Address: 58 Casa Nova St. Despite the importance of Nazareth in Telephone: 04-6570555 the lives of Jesus and his parents, E-mail: [email protected] it did not immediately become a place of Christian pilgrimage. The first shrine was probably built sometime in the middle of the 4th century. The Spanish pilgrim, the Lady Egeria, who visited Nazareth in 383, was shown a «big and very splendid cave in which Mary lived. An altar has been placed there.”2 This was probably the larger of the caves enshrined in the grotto of the present Basilica. In Roman Catholic tradition, it is the place where the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary (Luke 1:26-38). 6 7 2. see: J. Wilkinson, Egeria’s Travels to the Holy Land, 3rd edition, Warminster: Aris & Phillips, 1999. Opening hours: The Basilica Daily 8-11:45 am, 2-6 pm The Church (winter until 5 pm). of the To schedule Mass: of St. Joseph Please contact 04-6572501 Annunciation Accessibility: Built in 1960-69, the present Basilica of the Steep climb from street. By popular tradition, this church is sometimes Opening hours: Annunciation is the largest Christian sanctuary in the Wheelchair accessible. associated with the carpentry workshop of Joseph. Daily 8-11:45 am, 2-6 pm Middle East. Designed by the architect Giovanni The western facade and the Another tradition makes this the location of the home (winter until 5 pm). lower level of the Church can be Muzio, it is built on two levels: an upper and lower of the Holy Family upon their return from Egypt. Telephone: accessed from the main gate. church. The lower church follows the outline of the The present church, built in 1914, follows the outline 04-6572501 The southern facade and the Accessibility: 12th-century Crusader cathedral (a nave, flanked by upper facade can be accessed of an earlier medieval structure (the Crusader period two aisles), and partly reconstructs the eastern apses; Church of the Nutrition) and includes elements of an Steep climb from street. from the upper gate (the exit Wheelchair accessible. a lower level enshrines the Byzantine grotto, within even earlier Roman/Byzantine baptistery. next to St. Joseph’s Church). Parking: which are three chapels that are the liturgical focal Parking: No parking available An underground cave and chamber hewn from the A parking lot is situated next to points of the entire building. at the Basilica. A parking lot bedrock contains silos as well as mosaic fragments. the Tourist Information Center. The upper church serves the local Roman Catholic is situated next to the Tourist The cave serves as a crypt. parish. The large dome above the nave reaches a Information Center. height of 60 meters. It was designed to represent a white lily, one of the iconographic symbols of the The Franciscan Museum Virgin Mary. On the walls of the nave are mosaics that were donated by different Catholic communities from This small museum adjacent to the Basilica of the around the world. Opening hours: Annunciation displays finds from the excavations of the The entire basilica is filled with Christian symbols and Daily 9-11:45 am, 2-5:30 pm. Grotto of the Annunciation and the surrounding area of There is a small admission fee. related inscriptions. The western facade of the Church ancient Nazareth. The most impressive artifacts are the Telephone: 04-6572501 which is the main entry is pyramidal, and at its apex is a , beautifully sculpted Crusader Guided Tours: statue of Jesus. On the facade are also inscriptions and “capitals of Nazareth” capitals with Christian scenes rendered with great Can be arranged with advanced sculptural reliefs representing principles of the Christian artistry. They are considered to be amongst the greatest booking. faith and emphasizing the importance of Jesus’ birth. Accessibility: Steep climb from of their kind in the world. They were evidently buried The southern facade is dedicated to the Virgin Mary street. Wheelchair accessible. and hidden away during the Mamluk conquest of the and her statue tops the wall. The prayer Salve Regina Parking: No official parking at 13th century and were never actually utilized as column appears on this facade and the word Ave surrounds the site. A parking lot is situated capitals. They were discovered at the turn of the 20th the entrance. Twelve sculptured reliefs that represent next to the Tourist Information century during renovations of the then existing church important events in Mary’s lifetime decorate the doors. Center. building. 8 9 Opening hours: As mentioned, the actual source of the spring is 150 Church of St. Gabriel Mary of Nazareth Call for current information. meters distant, in the nearby Church of St. Gabriel opening hours: Telephone/Fax: 04-6461266 (Greek Orthodox; also called the “Orthodox Church Mon- Sat 8 am-12 pm, International Center Accessibility: of the Annunciation” and the “Church of the Well”).