I loved Nazareth. Despite all of the vendors trying to sell us things we really didn't want, there was a special spirit to this little town. I have always loved and admired Mary and felt a special connection to her. It was a really neat experience to visit her hometown--where she grew up, where she met Joseph, where Gabriel appeared to her and where she raised her holy son.
This is the church dedicated to Mary. It is thought that her home was here, or close to here. But since the holy sites were not located until the late 3rd century by Constantine's mother Helena, it is hard to know for sure. Keep reading I'll take you inside.
I love these stained glass windows along the walls of the main area of the Church. (I'm not completely familiar with my Church-y terms.)
The Church is two stories tall. This is on the second level and has beautiful paintings on the walls, as you can see.
This is a view of the courtyard from above. The statue is Mary. There are paintings of her from around the world that are fascinating. I thought I took pictures of several of them, but I can't seem to find them. So just imagine.
I rather like this picture. This is the view just as you walk into the church. We don't really worship in the same way as other religions (with shrines and the such), but I found it interesting that our conversations would always drop to a whisper when we walked into churches. Of course it was out of respect, but it was because the place was made holy by the faithful people who worship there.
Travel Tip: Take pictures of signs so you know what the pictures are when you look at them later.
This is a Nazarene synagogue from the first century. It is likely not the one in which Christ would have worshiped, but it is in the same location as an earlier synagogue where He would have come. We know little about His childhood, but this places surely influenced his growth as He increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.
This is the first view I had of the sea of Galilee as we drove through the windy hills.
And the first sunset on the sea. This sight came to symbolize my whole experience. Elder Andersen's niece was there with me and became a really good friend of mine. She asked me to write a letter to her uncle about my experience in Jerusalem. Here is an exert of my letter that describes why I love this sight so much:
"I loved watching the sun set over the sea of Galilee knowing that I was seeing the same sight that Christ saw many times throughout His life, standing on the same shores He walked where He called His Apostles to leave their boats and nets to follow Him. Watching the waves of that sea I knew that I was in a place that He loved and I came to love it too. The image of the sun setting over that sea will be forever in my mind and heart because it has come to represent what Jesus means to me—His power over winds and waves, His loving compassion and His watchful care. That connection has increased the love that I have for Him and has brought a greater sense of His empowering love for me. And that love has changed me."
This is the church dedicated to Mary. It is thought that her home was here, or close to here. But since the holy sites were not located until the late 3rd century by Constantine's mother Helena, it is hard to know for sure. Keep reading I'll take you inside.
I love these stained glass windows along the walls of the main area of the Church. (I'm not completely familiar with my Church-y terms.)
The Church is two stories tall. This is on the second level and has beautiful paintings on the walls, as you can see.
This is a view of the courtyard from above. The statue is Mary. There are paintings of her from around the world that are fascinating. I thought I took pictures of several of them, but I can't seem to find them. So just imagine.
I rather like this picture. This is the view just as you walk into the church. We don't really worship in the same way as other religions (with shrines and the such), but I found it interesting that our conversations would always drop to a whisper when we walked into churches. Of course it was out of respect, but it was because the place was made holy by the faithful people who worship there.
Travel Tip: Take pictures of signs so you know what the pictures are when you look at them later.
This is a Nazarene synagogue from the first century. It is likely not the one in which Christ would have worshiped, but it is in the same location as an earlier synagogue where He would have come. We know little about His childhood, but this places surely influenced his growth as He increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.
This is the first view I had of the sea of Galilee as we drove through the windy hills.
And the first sunset on the sea. This sight came to symbolize my whole experience. Elder Andersen's niece was there with me and became a really good friend of mine. She asked me to write a letter to her uncle about my experience in Jerusalem. Here is an exert of my letter that describes why I love this sight so much: "I loved watching the sun set over the sea of Galilee knowing that I was seeing the same sight that Christ saw many times throughout His life, standing on the same shores He walked where He called His Apostles to leave their boats and nets to follow Him. Watching the waves of that sea I knew that I was in a place that He loved and I came to love it too. The image of the sun setting over that sea will be forever in my mind and heart because it has come to represent what Jesus means to me—His power over winds and waves, His loving compassion and His watchful care. That connection has increased the love that I have for Him and has brought a greater sense of His empowering love for me. And that love has changed me."
Nice. I really like the idea that Christ had some favorite places. That's very cool that you were there.
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