Sunday, March 18
There is a small Greek Orthodox Church in Nazareth built over a spring that tradition says is the well where Mary drew water. The tradition goes on to say that it was at the well that the angel first appeared to her. You may be wondering how such sites are identified and how certain we can be that they are what they claim. Basically the older the church, and the number of churches on the site, the better the evidence that it is a reliable tradition. In some sites 4 or more churches have been erected, one after the other on a particular site claimed to be holy. We know that the first church built on the site of Mary’s well dates to the 2nd century. That is strong evidence that this really is the well where Mary drew water. Pictured below is a picture of the actual spring still alive under the church.
There is a small Greek Orthodox Church in Nazareth built over a spring that tradition says is the well where Mary drew water. The tradition goes on to say that it was at the well that the angel first appeared to her. You may be wondering how such sites are identified and how certain we can be that they are what they claim. Basically the older the church, and the number of churches on the site, the better the evidence that it is a reliable tradition. In some sites 4 or more churches have been erected, one after the other on a particular site claimed to be holy. We know that the first church built on the site of Mary’s well dates to the 2nd century. That is strong evidence that this really is the well where Mary drew water. Pictured below is a picture of the actual spring still alive under the church.
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