The second special feature on the Virgin Mary for the month of May is dedicated to the various Marian manifestations taking place in the various regions of the world represented inside the Basilica of the Annunciation of Nazareth.
As in the other Shrines built around the Christian heritage of the Holy Land, also the Grotto of Nazareth is built to evoke a “HIC”, the exact place where the Gospel events took place: here the Virgin Mary heard the words of the Annunciation; here she spoke her “fiat”; here the Word became flesh.
The building, consisting of a lower and a higher edifice, was built in the 60s based on a project by the Italian architect Giovanni Muzio, to encapsulate the Venerated Grotto.
It is divided into three naves outlined by cement pillars converging into one single octagonal space. All is covered by a large dome in the shape of an inverted flower terminating in a lantern in turn surmounted by a cross reaching a height of 66 meters
Along the walls of the side aisles are various mosaics of the Virgin Mary donated by different nations.
Br BRUNO VARRIANO, ofm
Rector of the Basilica of the Annunciation
It is the biblical “all generations will call me blessed “. All the Marian shrines of the world bring their culture, their history, and we see how Christianity is embodied in history, in people’s lives. Every person arriving, African, Japanese, Korean…, everyone arrives here and they find their Madonna; Our Lady is only one, but they find the reception of God, a welcoming Mary through their own shrine represented here.
Mary, Mother of Jesus, represented in her various Marian manifestations in the various regions of the world. For Fr Bruno Varriano the house of Our Lady is always open.
B. BRUNO VARRIANO, ofm
Rector of the Basilica of the Annunciation
“The house of our Mother” must be open, that is why the Shrine of the Annunciation is open from 5:30 am to 9 pm without interruption. Pilgrims can come after 6, they can say their silent prayers, be in silence in front of the Blessed Virgin’s house…and then we also have night liturgies, we have the candle-lit procession every Saturday, the Adoration on Thursdays and the Rosary with the mysteries of Nazareth on Tuesday.
From Nazareth to the whole world.
Br. BRUNO VARRIANO, ofm
Rector of the Basilica of the Annunciation
We have 8 channels broadcasting all the celebrations from Nazareth. It’s so beautiful when we arrive in Italy, in Croatia, in the Arab world, in Lebanon or Syria, where there is war, but where there are Christians who save as much battery power as they can to be able to follow the adoration and the candle-lit procession on Saturdays. We reach Brazil, South America, Portugal, Mexico, United States, and we are continuing to make this the place of the Incarnation, where God became man, where God has loved mankind concretely, reaching into families, homes, in the heart of many people, who now feel so loved by God in their humanity.