Saint Joseph’s Church, Nazareth

Saint Joseph Church is in the heart of Nazareth, merely 100 feet from the Catholic church of Annunciation. According to Medieval tradition, the church is built over the home of Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. The church is a popular Christian pilgrimage destination and bears interesting archaeological remains.

The History of Saint Joseph Church

It is unclear when Christians started venerting the site as the home of Saint Joseph or his carpentry workshop. Yet according to local tradition, this is where Joseph, Mary, and Jesus later lived, i.e., the church marks where Jesus grew up. Completed in 1914, the church is New-Romanesque in style, yet it is dwarfed by its neighboring Church of Annunciation. An Altar in its crypt bears a Latin inscription reading – “HIC ERAT SUBDITUS ILLIS” – “Here he was subject to them. “ This alludes to Luke’s text of Jesus “ ..went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2:51). Being so, the church is also called “The Church of the Nutrition.”

Why Is the Church of the Holy Family’s House So Humble?

Being Jesus’ home for at least three decades, it is surprising that the church commemorating the Holy Family’s home is so unpretentious, especially considering the colossal size of the Church of Annunciation next to it. The possible explanation is that the Gospels do not record any events relating to Jesus’ childhood in Nazareth. On the other hand, the Church of Annunciation marks a short yet significant event that proves the divinity of Jesus.

The crypt beneath the church bears several antiquities –

A Ritual Bath? – A rectangular installation carved into the bedrock is accessed by seven steps, and its floor is decorated with a rather plain mosaic floor. Franciscan archaeologists suggested that this may have been a baptismal font. Others even suggested it may have been the Holy Family’s ritual bath (mikveh). However, based on parallels, current research indicates that it is merely a winepress from the Byzantine period.

Grotto and Silos – A tunnel carved beneath the rectangular installation curves into a specious cave with bell-shaped silos carved beneath it. Archaeologists found similar grain silos under the adjacent Church of Annunciation. They all suggest a rural family whose livelihood is based on agriculture.

A cistern – Near the crypts’ exit is an ancient hewed water cistern. A trough carved next to its mouth implies the family had livestock. Today, pilgrims toss coins into the cistern as a blessing.

Additional archaeological finds, primarily architectural fragments, are spread in the garden next to the church.

The Quest for Joseph’s Carpentry

While some traditions maintain that Joseph had a carpentry in his home, the archaeological evidence under Saint Joseph Church does not provide any clue. It is possible that none survived – but perhaps there never was. The Gospels describe Joseph’s occupation as “Tekton”. Its translation to “a Carpenter” in English is not accurate. This term has a more general meaning of a craftsman. Joseph could have been a builder or an artisan, possibly employed in construction at the nearby city of Sepphoris. Indeed on the turn of the first century King Herod Antipas initiated a large scale development project in Sepphoris and Tiberias.

Touring the Church of Saint Joseph

The Church is open every day of the week and is free of charge. The Church’s interior is adorned with images of the Holy Family, including a large-scale mosaic wall installed in 2015. Being a Holy Christian site, visitors must dress modestly and speak softly.

A tour of Saint Joseph Church can be combined with a guided day tour of Nazareth and the Galilee.