the church of saint anne jerusalem
the church of saint anne jerusalem
The Church of Saint Hanna is a Roman Catholic church that you can visit on the Via Dolorosa inside the Muslim Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem, and there are many reasons that make you arrange your visit there. The most important of these reasons is that it has a long history and a prominent role in the ancient era.
It was built by the Crusaders in 1138 and the Ottomans delivered it to France. Therefore, this church is the property of the French government until now. Your visit to this place will make you realize that the church was built in seven years from 1131 to 1138 until it replaces another Byzantine church.
You will see the beautiful Roman architecture in this church. It also includes a triple design on a domed ceiling across the pillars and the church courtyard is separated on the side aisles and carved by French sculptors.
It is wonderful that you will find a passage in a cave. The Crusaders believed that it was the cradle of the Virgin Mary. Saint Anne Church has an ideal sound system for religious songs, so you will notice the transmission of sounds through the open space as well as the sound reaches at the bottom, so that system motivates soloists to visit the church.
The history of the Church of Saint Anne.
When this beautiful church appears for you, you will know that it was built near the remains of a Byzantine church built earlier. You will go down to more than one cave. These caves the Crusaders believed that it was the cradle of the Virgin Mary.
The church was for the saint Anne who lived in that place according to Christian traditions and this site where the Virgin Mary was born in a cave located under this church. The construction of this church was completed in 1138 by the widow of Baldwin I who ruled Jerusalem during the period of the rule of the Crusaders.
The church of Saint Anne was transformed into the Alsalihya school.
This church was transformed into a large Islamic school in 1192 by order of Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi after entering Jerusalem and was called Alsalihya School. It was at the forefront of scientific institutes in Jerusalem.
The Salihiya school played a great thought role and there were many scholars who contributed to the religious and social life, and the school was the source of knowledge in the Ayyubid and Mamluk era, as well as the Ottoman era.
It is wonderful that during the period of Palestinian Islamic rule, Christian pilgrims were allowed to enter the Holy Cave only, and it is beautiful that the Mamluks did not destroy the old church after they took control of Palestine in the twelfth century and in 1856 there was French support from the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid I, who presented this church To Napoleon III.
This wonderful place is a site that expresses religious tolerance, and many Muslims, Christians and Jews have gone to visit it, and since ancient times, this place was a common place and had common religious features for three religions, so you will feel in this place psychological comfort and calm because it is located on blessed lands. It was the cradle of the Virgin Mary and our Lord Jesus Christ bin Mary, and it is next to Jabal Al Zayton mountain.
The Church of Saint Anna is the land of miracles.
Take your tour in this holy area, which has had a great activity since the late Greek era until now. A pool of holy water has been erected in this place. This pool is divided into two basins, and between them a dam is six meters long and 60 meters long.
People used to gather in this place for to be cured of diseases and they were seeking this healing from the god of medicine who was called Serapidus Asclepius. The Christ saw these basins and did a miracle that led to the cure of a patient, and after that the healing he was announced by God Almighty and brought about.
The Church of Saint Anne is a religious site throughout history.
Visit this religious site, which witnessed several miracles of the Lord Christ, and therefore the people sanctified this place. Also, you will visit the cave in which it is said that the Virgin Mary was born.
Before the construction of this great church, another church was built on the Holy Cave, but it was demolished during the Persian invasion. You will enjoy visiting this place which was which attracted the attention of Christians who were visiting the holy pool as well as the cave.
Crusaders built a small church on the ruins of the church that was destroyed in the war with the Persians as well, but the Crusaders built another church over the cave in which it is believed that Mary was born and therefore this church has preserved its distinctive planning and is one of the most beautiful churches in Palestine.
A wonderful tour inside the saint’s church.
After entering the entrance to the church you will find a rectangular place with three sections. you will find that the middle section which is the largest section and therefore this church is in the basilica style containing its floors covered with marble.
As for the ceiling, it has cross domes, and inside the church you will see the magnificent archaeological banquet covered by a semi-circular dome and you will notice that this church does not have many decorations and was influenced by Saint Benedict.
The cave of the saint’s church.
when you go to this church you will find a sacred natural cave above this cave you will find a dome made of stone and in front of it a small altar.
This place was a cradle of the Virgin Mary according to the Christian religion so the Franks built the church that you see today and in front of this cave there is a room indicating an icon of the birth of the Virgin Mary.
Your visit to this church will be fun because you get acquainted with many historical events and see many archaeological sites inside this church and after leaving this church you will visit many wonderful tourist attractions there.