Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation | |
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Religion | |
Affiliation | Eastern Orthodox |
Location | |
Location | ![]() |
Geographic coordinates | 32°42′25.5″N 35°18′5.7″E / 32.707083°N 35.301583°E |
Architecture | |
Completed | 1769 |
Direction of façade | South |
The Greek Orthodox Church of St. Gabriel, also known as the (Greek) Orthodox Church of the Annunciation (Greek: Ορθόδοξος Ναός του Ευαγγελισμού), is an Eastern Orthodox church in Nazareth, Israel. It is one of two claimants to the site of the Annunciation - where angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and announced that she would give birth to Jesus - the other being the Catholic Basilica of the Annunciation.[1]
Likely first established in Byzantine-era Palaestina Prima, it was rebuilt during the time of the Crusades, and in its current shape in the 18th century under the rule of Zahir al-Umar, the Arab governor of the Galilee.[2]
Known colloquially among the Greek Orthodox worshippers of Galilee whom it serves as Kniset el-Rûm[i], or Church of the Romans in the sense of Eastern Romans or Byzantines in Levantine Arabic, the church is located over an underground "spring" (actually the outlet of a 17-metre conduit coming from an uphill spring[3]), which according to Eastern Orthodox belief is where the Virgin Mary was drawing water at the time of the Annunciation.[4][5] Water from the spring still runs inside a side chapel of the church and also fed the adjacent site of Mary's Well, located 150 yards (140 m) away.[2][6]