Jesus in Nazareth
Whether you want to plan a trip to Nazareth, or just know more about Jesus' connection there, there is plenty to learn about this lovely place. Located in northern Israel, about 88 miles north of Jerusalem, Nazareth was the place where Jesus grew up. This means that Nazareth is very important to the Christian community, and that it is one of several Christian pilgrimage sites in Israel.
Nazareth in Jesus' Time
During Jesus' life, Nazareth had a population of about 500. The New Testament depicts Nazareth as an obscure place and in the Gospel of John, when people hear of Jesus of Nazareth, they say, "What good could come from Nazareth?" (John 1:46) However, the New Testament documents that Nazareth was, indeed, the home to Mary and Joseph and that it was also the site of the Annunciation. This is where Mary received the message that she would give birth to the Savior.
More About Nazareth
Nazareth is mentioned 17 times in the New Testament, and it is known to be the town where Jesus grew up. He was often referred to in later years as both Jesus of Nazareth and the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee. Jesus was said to have spent much of his life in Nazareth, learning to be a carpenter there.
Every year he travelled from Nazareth to Jerusalem for the Jewish feasts of pilgrimage. He also journeyed from Nazareth to the Judean desert to start his public ministry. Interestingly, Nazareth was not popular as a pilgrimage site until the 6th century, when legends about Mary's life began to form more clearly. As Mary's popularity grew, so did the number of pilgrimages to Nazareth.
Modern Nazareth
Today, Nazareth is along the southern ridges of the Lebanon Mountains, about 14 miles form the Sea of Galilee and near Mount Tabor. The city today is lower down in the valley than was the city of Jesus' time. Nazareth today boasts a population of 60,000, the majority of whom are Israeli Arabs. About 35-40% of them are Christians and the rest are Muslims.
Monument to Jesus of Nazareth
Today, if you visit Nazareth, you will be able to see the area where Mary received her message and where the Annunciation took place. The Franciscans, with generous help from Christians around the world, built a dome to commemorate this spot, so that Christians and others can come from around the world to worship there and to appreciate what occurred. This dome dominates the skyline in the town and welcomes Christians home, to the town where Jesus grew up.
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