Basilica Of Apocalypse Research Paper

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The Basilica of the Annunciation is, according to tradition, the place where the Archangel Gabriel came down to the Virgin Mary. The Basilica is located today in Nazareth, Israel. “The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin” (Lk 1:26-27). The angel told Mary she was going to conceive a child that she would name Jesus. Mary was confused because she had no relations with anyone. Then Gabriel explained that she would conceive through he Holy Spirit. And so the baby will be the Son of God the Father. Mary responds by totally submitting to the will of God. “Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, may it be done to me according to you word.’” (Lk 1:38). The Basilica is built over the ruins of Byzantine and Crusader churches. It also enshrines the cave in which Mary received the news. The cave has become an important pilgrimage site for many Christians. Early records of Nazareth are very rare. Eusebius says that Nazareth was a little Jewish community in the middle of the Roman and Byzantine times. Evidence of Jews converting to Christianity are given to us by Africanus. The Basilica was identified as the place of Jesus’ conception in the fourth century. …show more content…

and reference a church in 570 A.D. A Byzantine church has been discovered underneath the Basilica dating to the 500-600s. Under the direction by his mother St. Helena, Constantine commissioned this church, which lasted until the First Crusade. The third church was a Crusader church, built above the destroyed Byzantine church. It was much bigger, having two stories and some monasteries attached or nearby. At the end of the Battle of Horns of Hattin in 1187, the townspeople fled to the church, but unfortunately all of them were murdered. The church was therefore defiled, but the invaders left the building itself

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