According to Roman Catholic tradition, the church is built upon a cave where the angel Gabriel announced to Miriam that she would give birth to Jesus. Archeological investigation has shown that the veneration of the Grotto of the Annunciation dates back to the third century, when Jewish Christians built a first modest church (the Synagogue Church) modeled on the synagogues of the day. In 1955 the Franciscan church was pulled down. to make way for the fifth church on the site. This church, consecrated in 1969, is the most important modern church in Israel and the largest built in recent years.
The lower church, offering a view of the lower and older levels of the structure, illustrates the historical continuity of the site, while the upper church shows the universality of the church in its decoration, which was the work of artists from many different countries.
According to Roman Catholic tradition, the church is built upon a cave where the angel Gabriel announced to Miriam that she would give birth to Jesus. Archeological investigation has shown that the veneration of the Grotto of the Annunciation dates back to the third century, when Jewish Christians built a first modest church (the Synagogue Church) modeled on the synagogues of the day. In 1955 the Franciscan church was pulled down. to make way for the fifth church on the site. This church, consecrated in 1969, is the most important modern church in Israel and the largest built in recent years.