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We got off the bus at the Church of the Annunciation. Being a born and raised Southern Baptist, I'd never heard of the Annunciation but learned that that is the celebration of when the angel, Gabriel, appeared to Mary and told her she was pregnant. That makes sense, as the Annunciation is 9 months before the date we celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas Day.

The house where Mary lived with her family was identified and there is a lot of certainty that it is the correct house. The Bible says Mary was from Nazareth and the only area it could have been in order to coincide with the Scriptures is the area where the Church of the Annunciation now stands. There were only 40-50 homes here at the time the angel, Gabriel, appeared to Mary. Archeologists found her name on the walls in the lower parts of the home and references have been determined to connect her to this house so it is almost certain that this was Mary's house.

As with many homes, Mary's home was built into the side of a hill or mountain. Her home was very small and the Church of the Annunciation is built over and around it so that the home is completely enclosed inside the church with the cave-structure intact but the hill or mountain removed.

We stood on the side of the church house and watched as a group of priests went into the house and blessed it and a very short mass was performed. Bill still remembers some of the Latin he learned in Catholic schools and translated parts of it for me.

(These photos are a bit confusing. The white table with the candles is into the church part. Beyond that start the actual home in where Mary grew up. In the lower left picture the Priest is blessing the home and is at a table or alter that is in the home with the one with he candles behind him in the church.)


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