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| Church of the Annunciation |
She said “Yes”.
“Behold, I am the
handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” – Luke 1:38
These were Mary’s
first words recorded in the bible and this is where it happened – the childhood
home of Mary in Nazareth. The remains of her home are now preserved in the
crypt of the Church of the Annunciation. This magnificent church pays homage to
the humble maiden whose singular act of obedience changed the course of our
faith – from its Madonna Lily-shaped dome to the floor-to-ceiling icons made
and donated by different nations that adorn its lofty walls. It is
awe-inspiring.
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| Images of Mary on the walls of the upper church |
Awe changed to gratitude upon
my descent to the lower church, to the Grotto of the Annunciation where the Archangel
Gabriel appeared to Mary. The altar in
the middle contains this inscription: “Verbum Caro Hic Factum Est” (The Word
was made flesh here). As I prayed in front of the grilled gate that protects
the room, I thanked our Blessed Mother for her willingness to be God’s vessel.
What our tour guide said rang true for me: this is why she is so well-loved by Catholics. We
honor her for her role in man’s redemption.
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| Grotto of the Annunciation |
Out in the courtyard, we
viewed the Gallery of Madonnas. Like those in the upper church, the icons were
mostly mosaics depicting Marian devotions from around the globe. Our group had a “proud to be Filipino” moment. Right by the
entrance gate across the main door is a beautiful mural from the Philippines.
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| Mural from the Philippines Courtyard Gallery of Madonnas |
Just a short distance away
from the Church of the Annunciation is the much smaller and somber Church of
St. Joseph or the Church of St. Joseph’s Carpentry. It is built over the
remains of the Church of Nutrition, a Crusader church, and over a cave system.
In its crypt is the House of the Holy Family where it is believed they lived
after their return from Egypt.
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| House of the Holy Family |
The stained-glass windows
depict scenes in the life of St. Joseph like his marriage to Mary.
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| Marriage of Mary & Joseph Stained glass window at the Church of St. Joseph |
It also displayed paintings
of the Holy Family’s life. I was particularly charmed by the one with the young
Jesus helping Joseph in his carpentry shop.
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| Holy Family in Joseph's Carpentry Shop |
Then she said,
“Please.”
If Mary’s first of seven words recorded in
the bible were spoken at her house, her last two were spoken at our next stop,
in Cana.
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| Walls in Cana |
It was not yet His time, but the dutiful son
succumbed to His mother’s “Please”. Though unspoken in the bible, there must
have been some form of “please” from her. The Wedding at Cana episode in The
Chosen portrayed this beautifully. I always play that scene in my head every
time I ask Mama Mary to intercede for my petitions. Jesus just can’t say “No”
to her. Mary’s words also remind me to follow whatever Jesus tells me to do in
any circumstance.
The Cana experience would not be complete without a wedding, so we had one. It was really a renewal of vows for the two couples in our group. We also got to see the jars that may have been like the ones Jesus asked to be filled with water.
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| Wedding Church |
After lunch in Haifa, we visited Stella Maris Church where there was a memorial for Elijah, a venerated cave under the altar.
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| Stella Maris Church |
Across the church is the San Francisco Observatory. It was to this area Elijah sent his servant to look for clouds during the drought. We had a sweeping view of the Mediterranean at a spot where he could have stayed to look for a sign of rain.
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| View of the Mediterranean from Haifa |
Mt. Tabor at dusk was our last stop for Day 4
of our pilgrimage. I’m glad we were there at the last hour. Aside from having
less people around, the church awash with light was a sight to behold.
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| Basilica of Transfiguration |
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| Crypt of the Basilica of Transfiguration |
