NAZARETH, a little City in the Tribe of Zebulun, in lower Galilee, to the West of Tabor, and to the East of Ptolemais. Eusebius says it is fifteen Miles from Legion towards the East. This City is much celebrated in the Scriptures, for having been the usual Place of the Residence of Jesus Christ, for the first thirty three Luke ii. 51.Years of his Life. ‘Twas there our Saviour became incarnate, where he lived in Obedience to Joseph and Mary, and from whence he took the Name of a Nazarean. After he had begun to execute his Mission, he preached there sometimes in the Synagogue. Luke iv. 16.But because his Countrymen had no Faith in him, and were offended at the Meanness of his Original, he did not many Matth. xiii. 54, 58.Miracles there, nor would he dwell therein. So he fixed his Habitation at Capernaum for the latter Part of his Life. The City of Nazareth was situate upon an Matth. iv. 13.Eminence, and on one Side there was a Precipice, from whence the Nazareans one Day had a Design of throwing down our Saviour, because he upbraided them Luke iv. 29.with their Incredulity.
St. Epiphanius says,1 that in his Time Nazareth was only a Village, and that to the Reign of Constantine it was inhabited by Jews alone, exclusive of all Christians. Adamnanus, a Writer of the seventh Age,2 says, that in his Time there were two great Churches to be seen at Nazareth, one in the midst of the City, built upon two Arches, in the Place where our Saviours House had stood. Under the two Arches now mentioned, was a very fine Fountain, which furnish’d Water to the whole City, and from whence Water was drawn also by the Help of a Pully, for the Use of the Church above. The second Church of Nazareth was built in the Place where the House stood, wherein the Angel Gabriel revealed to the Virgin Mary the Mystery of our Lord’s Incarnation. This is what Adamnanus says upon this Matter. Villibrode, in the eighth age,3 speaking of the same Church of Nazareth, says, that the Christians were often obliged to redeem it with Money from the Pagans, who otherwise threatened to demolish it. Phocas who wrote in the twelfth age says, that as soon as one enters into Nazareth, one finds the Church of St. Gabriel, under which is a little Vault, wherein is the Fountain near which the Angel first spoke to Mary. It may be here observed, that the orientals4 thought the Angel first spoke to Mary near a Fountain, and afterwards in her own House. Phocas adds, that in the same City there is a very handsome Church, which was heretofore the House of St. Joseph. We are assured that the Church of Nazareth, or of the Incarnation, which we have mentioned before, and which is supported by two Arches, is still in being to this Day.
Now all that is hitherto related in this Matter, will by no Means agree with the famous Translation of the House of the Virgin Mary; which in 1291, is pretended to have been removed by the Assistance of Angels,5 from the City of Nazareth into Dalmatia; from whence it was carried four Years after, beyond the Gulph of Venice, into the Diocese of Recanati, in the Borders of Ancona, and set upon the Land of a Lady named Lauretta; from whence the Church that was found there, obtained the Name of our Lady of Lauretto. But the Situation of this holy House being in a Wood, to which it was dangerous to resort, because of Robbers, it was a third Time transported at the Distance of half a League from thence upon a Hill; and once more it was carried from thence to the Place where it stands at present. It is very probable, that all these different Translations were no other than so many different Buildings, made upon the model of the Church of Nazareth; just as in several Places Sepulchres have been built, upon the Model of that at Jerusalem.
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