Description
The church is located approximately 650 meters (2,130 ft) from the Basilica of the Annunciation and 130 meters (430 ft) from Mary's Well, which sits alongside the road leading to Saffuriyya. The underground chapel from the medieval era containing the spring is accessed from within the present church by descending seven steps. Measuring 10 meters long, 3.3 meters wide, and 3.5 meters high, at the end of this low vaulted cavern, presumably built by the Crusaders in the 12th century, ancient Armenian tilework decorates the walls leading to a small recess. There, below an altar with a semi-circular apse, a shaft leads down to the spring, and one can lower a metal cup to draw water. On the wall to the east is doorway, whose entryway is blocked, and it thought that this is the stairway to which Quaresmi referred in his writings.
Modern decorative murals cover the walls and the ceilings of the overground structure built in the 18th century. The iconostasis hides the altar from view, in keeping with Eastern Orthodox tradition. The tomb of the founder of the Church can be seen along the north wall.
Read more about this topic: Greek Orthodox Church Of The Annunciation
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