Christian churches in the Holy Land

The churches that exist in the Holy Land, the geographical area where the biblical scenes from the Old and New Testaments unfolded, and which includes the territories of Israel and Palestine, “are a real mosaic”, according to the publication Aleteia (https:// es.aleteia. org) , whose activity is carried out in accordance with the teachings of Pope Francis and the Secretariat for Communications of the Holy See.

“As the scene of the the transcendental of sacred history, The country of Israel stands out for its rich Christian tradition. A large number of places were consecrated in historical and religious memory, and later used as a holy place of pilgrimage”, he points out.

Churches: Roman Catholic; Eastern Catholic (Greek, Armenian and Syrian Maronite); Eastern Orthodox (Russian, Romanian and non-Calcedonian); Orthodox Armenia and Armenia in Jerusalem; Orthodox (Coptic, Syrian and Ethiopian) and Protestants are some of the numerous representative confessions of Christianity in the Middle East, according to this same source.

Out of religious devotion or to admire his architectural majestychurches are an almost mandatory stop on any trip to Israel, a country imbued with great spirituality present in every kilometer, according to the Israel National Tourist Office (ONIT).

There are countless churches to visit in this country, and most of them are stunning, notes ONIT (https://es.goisrael.com), which below describes six of the most picturesque churches in the area, which stand out for their beauty. , history or architectural grandeur.

Church of the Beatitudes (Tabgha, Israel)

It is located on the top of the Hill of Bliss, in Galileo, It was built between 1936 and 1938, has an octagonal floor plan, and was built in the Neo-Byzantine style.

It has eight sides representing the eight beatitudes and is surrounded by a large garden. It is full of columns jutting out above and contains three prayer altars. In addition, it is an important enclave in the history of Christianity.

Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes (Tabgha, Israel)

Located in Tabgha, on the shores of the Sea of ​​Galilee, it is a modern building from 1980, designed by German architects Anton Colonia Georgen and Baumann.

Filled with sparkling white stones from the Tayiba quarry, the huge stone stands out on the altar so that the pilgrim can admire it where, exactly, it was the place where Jesus supposedly multiplied the loaves and fishes for his followers.

Saint Peter’s Church (Capernaum, Israel)

Located in Capernaum, in northern Israel, this church was built by the Byzantines in the 5th century and rebuilt in 1990 as an octagonal church, with its eight columns. (Not to be confused with St. Peter’s Church in Jaffa, Tel Aviv).

This pilgrimage temple dedicated to St. Peter is considered by some experts to be the first Catholic church in the world, because it is believed that the apostle’s house was located there.

Church of Saint Gabriel (Nazareth, Israel)

Located in Nazareth, some consider it the cradle of Christianity. The land occupied by this church was the place where the Archangel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would conceive a child from the Holy Spirit and the place where Jesus spent his childhood and youth.

Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Jerusalem, Israel)

In the old center of Jerusalem is the Church of the Resurrection, which since the 14th century has been regarded as the holiest place of Christianity and the most important for Christian pilgrimage.

Santiago Cathedral (Jerusalem, Israel)

Located in the old city of Jerusalem, more precisely in the Armenian neighborhood, is the Santiago Cathedral, one of the few churches that survived from the time of the Crusaders.

It retains the same structure, in an excellent state of preservation, including the enclosure, golden chapels and religious paintings inside.