DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4592#0325
MARONITE CHAPEL, 325
ronite chapel. It stands near a perpendicular ledge,
which, with the hill above, sloping back but slightly,
forms a sudden eminence of forty or fifty feet. This
is most probably the spot where the Jews led Jesus
" unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was
built, that they might cast him down headlong ; but he
passing through the midst of them, went his way."
The monks have chosen to fix the place of this occur-
rence near two miles south of the town ; a very awk-
ward position. It does not look reasonable that in a
popular tumult, a populace would lead their victim
off two miles, to do that for which they had facilities
for doing right at hand. Besides it was the hill on
which their city was built, which could not be said
of a hill two miles off.
At the south-east part of the town is the Greek
Church of Annunciation. We did not enter it; but
near it is a beautiful stone fountain, where it is said the
Virgin was in the habit of going for water. It is now
called the Fountain of the Virgin. We were stand-
ing near this beautiful spring about sunset. At this
hour, scores of females are seen coming out of the
town, bearing rude pieces of pottery on their heads,
called pitchers. Each one filled her pitcher at the
fountain, and then placing it on her head, bore it oft"
without touching hand to it. While standing there,
in the space of twenty minutes, I presume we saw
more than one hundred females thus come and go
again. The scene was oriental and truly picturesque.
As a quiet, pleasant town, surrounded with beauti-
ful and romantic scenery, I saw no place in the Holy
Land to be preferred to Nazareth. Its situation is
ronite chapel. It stands near a perpendicular ledge,
which, with the hill above, sloping back but slightly,
forms a sudden eminence of forty or fifty feet. This
is most probably the spot where the Jews led Jesus
" unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was
built, that they might cast him down headlong ; but he
passing through the midst of them, went his way."
The monks have chosen to fix the place of this occur-
rence near two miles south of the town ; a very awk-
ward position. It does not look reasonable that in a
popular tumult, a populace would lead their victim
off two miles, to do that for which they had facilities
for doing right at hand. Besides it was the hill on
which their city was built, which could not be said
of a hill two miles off.
At the south-east part of the town is the Greek
Church of Annunciation. We did not enter it; but
near it is a beautiful stone fountain, where it is said the
Virgin was in the habit of going for water. It is now
called the Fountain of the Virgin. We were stand-
ing near this beautiful spring about sunset. At this
hour, scores of females are seen coming out of the
town, bearing rude pieces of pottery on their heads,
called pitchers. Each one filled her pitcher at the
fountain, and then placing it on her head, bore it oft"
without touching hand to it. While standing there,
in the space of twenty minutes, I presume we saw
more than one hundred females thus come and go
again. The scene was oriental and truly picturesque.
As a quiet, pleasant town, surrounded with beauti-
ful and romantic scenery, I saw no place in the Holy
Land to be preferred to Nazareth. Its situation is