The Church of St. Gabriel, also known as the Church of the Spring or the Church of Mary’s Well, stands over the only natural spring in Nazareth. In the Orthodox Christian tradition, this is the true site of the Annunciation: it was here, at the spring where Mary drew water, that the angel Gabriel first appeared to her.
Two Traditions
Catholic and Orthodox traditions disagree on where the Annunciation took place. The Catholic Church of the Annunciation marks Mary’s home. The Orthodox Church of St. Gabriel marks the spring where she went for water. The Protoevangelium of James, an early Christian text, describes the Annunciation happening in two stages: first at the spring, then at home. Both churches may be right, depending on which moment you consider definitive.
The Spring
The spring still flows beneath the church, and visitors can see (and sometimes touch) the water that has been emerging from this spot for thousands of years. In a city that has been built and rebuilt many times, the spring is the one constant. It was here before the churches, before the Romans, and before the Gospels were written. Mary, if she lived in Nazareth, would have used this spring. That much is not tradition. It is geography.
Visit with Hoshen Tours
The Church of the Spring is part of the essential Nazareth circuit. Hoshen Tours includes both the Catholic and Orthodox sites, giving visitors the full picture.