Page 30 - Holyland Magazine - 2016 Edition

empires: Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, continuously-running hospital in all of Israel. system. The excavation turned out to
Persian, Greek and Roman to name but a Opened in 1861, the hospital was, for be a watershed event in the scholarly
few. And far from being the quaint little village decades, the only place between Jerusalem understanding of ancient Nazareth. But
of our imaginations, Jesus’ hometown was and Beirut anyone could receive medical Father Bagatti’s work only provided the
a bustling town just outside Sepphoris, the care. This Christian institution has prided foundation for the scholars who would
ancient Roman capital and trading center of itself on always keeping its doors open to eventually reconstruct the village. The
the Galilee region. everyone: Christian, Muslim and Jewish alike. developers of Nazareth Village explored
Consistent with its role as a peacemaker in similar sites and conducted historical,
It was in Nazareth that the angel Gabriel an often war-torn land, the hospital allowed anthropological and archaeological
informed Mary that the Messiah of the world Nazareth Village to be constructed on its research on 20 past and current
was growing in her womb; it was in Nazareth property (less than a mile from the center of excavations. To crown their efforts, they
that Jesus grew up, and it was Nazareth the modern city) so that people from all over spent two years digging through ancient
that he considered his hometown; it was in the world can experience the teachings of the texts to fill in the remaining details, all of
Nazareth that he announced the good news Prince of Peace in the setting they were initially which provided them with the information
of the Gospel while reading from the scroll of spoken. This is why Dr. Bishara believes that they needed to resurrect, as it were, the
Isaiah in the local synagogue, and it was his Nazareth Village “will be a gift of peace to the ancient hometown of Jesus.
association with Nazareth by which Jesus world, and also to those of us who live, work
identified himself to the disciples and Paul, and worship in a land torn by conflict.” So what can you expect to actually see
and by which Pilate identified Jesus on the here? The village includes homes, shops,
cross. Quite simply, there is no other spot on So how did those who constructed Nazareth a synagogue, grape arbors, olive trees
earth where Jesus spent more of his life than Village actually know what they were doing? and a working olive press, all authentically
Nazareth, which is why the developers of It all started in 1955 when Father Bellarmina recreated as they would have existed in
Nazareth Village believed it was so important Bagatti conducted a major excavation the first century. In addition, there is an
to make such a unique attraction available of Nazareth. In the late 1990s, another ancient mikvah, a Jewish ritual bath,
to people of all faiths from around the world archaeologist discovered an ancient first- where villagers could wash to maintain
who want to understand the authentic Jesus. century farm only 500 meters from the site their ritual purity. Next door, visitors can
of the ancient town. It included, among other experience what a first-century synagogue
Nazareth Village itself is located on land things, watchtowers, a wine press, stone was like and can even try out first-century
owned by the Nazareth Hospital, the oldest quarries, farm terraces and an irrigation carpentry in a carpenter’s shop, just as

AbomkcryofoofluiapMCrsosssehfaeutstne-rousciyrrnepmeefgSusonomtwuotlafaumdiuttlrohlesrymfasea2mentehtm0rtrevets1luheao,7BselcP.beipiarbriuerbtwleemeslipdo.icd,aTraoelrldhennae-dtnthde

30