bells interlaced with the call of the Moslem muezzin to prayer echoes through the twisting lanes, intermingling with the aroma of exotic foods. For the locals, Nazareth is well known as a gastronomic as well as a religious center, and it even is developing a nascent nightlife scene. For pilgrims arriving in Israel in mid-December, Nazareth’s Christmas Market, located in the local “shouk” (outdoor marketplace), where a diverse assortment of souvenirs representative of the Holy Land is also available throughout the year, operates for a number of days prior to the holiday and may be of interest too. Along with its traditional sites of interest to pilgrims, Nazareth has inaugurated a couple of newer sites that highlight aspects of the city in Christian contexts. Nazareth Village is a recreated village from Jesus’ time, where farmers dressed in first-century costumes and using tools and utensils from that era, actually work. Visitors can see a sower struggling to keep valuable seeds from falling waste on barren rock, or watch a builder chisel a cornerstone from a limestone quarry. There are also figures dressed up as New Testament personae, who talk about Jesus and explain His teachings via parables, and there also are a number of “parable walks” where visitors can see and experience the sort of topography and plant life that gave rise to many New Testament parables.
53
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker