Galilee was home to large populations of pagans and gentiles during Jesus' time, which is why the inhabitants were more open to His preaching. He chose five apostles from Bethseda. Both Greek and Aramaic were spoken here. It was a place of a more worldly view in comparison to the Judean area. After His Resurrection, the disciples were told to make disciples of all nations, so salvation of all began here.


Nazareth was where Jesus grew up. He was rejected there by those who knew him. This afternoon, we traveled to Nazareth where we had Mass at the Basilica of the Annunciation. It's the biggest church in the Middle East with two floors. The first floor is very simple with no ornamentation to fit the modesty of the Blessed Virgin. The upper floor however, is rich in mosaics and decorations to illustrate her glory. This site is thought to be the site where the Annunciation occurred. It is the fifth church built on this site. The remains of the first church were discovered in 1955; second church was built in the Byzantine era, and the third church was built by the Crusaders. The fourth was constructed in 1877.


St. Joseph's Church opposite the Basilica was built over St. Joseph's workshop and the home of the Holy Family, according to tradition. Tools of a carpenter were discovered in the grotto underneath.


After visiting both holy sites, we traveled to the Mount of the Beatitudes where the Sermon on the Mount was given. We checked into the Mount of Beatitudes: a guest house run by Franciscan sisters. It is one of the most beautiful sites I have ever seen -- the gardens were so well kept with roses, hawthorne, pansies, bouganvilla enticing one to roam and meditate for hours. Dinner consisted of chicken, soup, salads, and relishes. Dates were our desserts.