For centuries Nazareth has been in the hearts of pilgrims, it is the city that preserves the place, the memory of the meeting between the Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary.
The excavations carried out by the Franciscan friars have identified the area occupied by the ancient village, which the medieval and modern urbanization has incorporated into the current Nazareth.
The current basilica of Nazareth was built in the years 1960-69 and consecrated on March 25, 1969. It was built to the design of the architect Giovanni Muzio, in reinforced concrete with the external stone cladding of the place. The interior has two overlapping churches: the upper church is dedicated to the exaltation of the Virgin Mother of God, while the lower one, in the style of a crypt, houses the grotto of the Holy Family.
On Wednesday, March 25th, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Archangel Gabriel to Mary was celebrated. The Mass was presided by H.E. Mgr. Pizzaballa, Apostolic Administrator of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The Rector of the Basilica, Br. Bruno Varriano, friars of the Franciscan community of Nazareth and priests of the Latin Patriarchate concelebrated in a small number according to the indications of the civil authorities.
In his homily, the Apostolic Administrator made two considerations: The first is to believe that nothing is impossible for God. The second is that "we must learn from the Virgin Mary, equally important, to accept to enter the time of gestation, a time of patience, silence and waiting.”
HE Mgr PIERBATTISTA PIZZABALLA, ofm
Apostolic Administrator - Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
"We are experiencing difficult moments, of great disorientation, and we do not know how to interpret this moment. And here in this very grotto, in this very place, the Virgin Mary with her "yes" gives us a very important indication; she too was faced with something sudden and unexpected, but she had faith: she said "yes" to something unexpected by putting her heart in God's hands. That is what we too must do: put our heart, our expectations, everything, into God's hands and trust God as she did."
At noon, local time, a new moment of prayer in the cave. Bishop Pizzaballa invited everyone to join in prayer for the whole world, reciting the Lord's Prayer, as requested by Pope Francis.
HE Mgr PIERBATTISTA PIZZABALLA, ofm
Apostolic Administrator - Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
"The Christian history of the world began here and has expanded throughout the world, so I think it is good that the whole world is gathering today around the Pope but also here, in Nazareth. This is where everything began, so everyone may be united in prayer to the Father right here where Our Lady said "yes" to the Father. At this moment, I want to pray first of all for our Church, the Church of Jerusalem, which is scattered throughout the Holy Land, because we too, like many others, are experiencing difficult times both for the Coronavirus and for the consequences of the Coronavirus for those who are left without work, without future prospects: let us put everything in the heart of the Virgin Mary so that she may intercede with the Father."
Br Bruno Varriano, Rector of the Basilica, also spoke about Mary's "yes" and the words of the Archangel Gabriel "nothing is impossible for the Lord" and underlined another important message: "The Virgin Mary, after the Annunciation, went to Ein Karem to serve her cousin Elizabeth who was old. In these days we must be attentive to our elders: we must serve them, stay close to them, give them hope, be vigilant about their health."
Br BRUNO VARRIANO, ofm
Rector and Guardian Basilica of the Annunciation of Nazareth
"And today we can also live this spirituality and be here in the place of the Light of the World, where the Word became flesh, through a 24-hour camera. Christians all over the world can pray in the place of the Incarnation of the Word in the house of Mary, and also accompany our celebrations thanks to the Christian Media Center and many other Catholic TV stations around the world. We are united in these difficult times, but for God nothing is impossible."
The Christmas Message of the Custos of the Holy Land, Brother Francesco Patton; the prayer for peace in Rome; the new book on the history of the origins of Christianity and finally the Jewish feast of Hannukah.
On 11 December, Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere in Rome was lit with candles of Faith and Hope during a prayer dedicated to world peace. The prayer was presided over by Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, President of the Italian Bishops' Conference, together with the Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land, Brother Ibrahim Faltas.
On 13 December, Dar Al-Kalima University, in cooperation with the Pontifical Mission, organised a conference at the Dar Al-Kalima University Theatre in Bethlehem to present the book ‘Palestine, Cradle of Christianity: An Introduction to the History of the Origins of Christianity from the First to the Seventh Century’.
