In this first episode of our special three-part Christmas series, hosts Bethany and John invite you to step inside the quiet hillside village where one of history’s greatest stories truly begins. When travelers think Christmas, they think Bethlehem—but long before the manger, long before the star-lit night, God began His redemption story in Nazareth.
This episode is crafted especially for travel advisors, group leaders, and future pilgrims who want to better understand why Nazareth is an essential stop on any Holy Land pilgrimage. Together, Bethany and John uncover the heart of this often-overlooked town—tiny in the first century, humble and unimpressive to the world, yet chosen for a divine encounter that changed everything.
Journey with us as we explore:
✨ Nazareth in Jesus’ day — a small agricultural village of perhaps 200–400 people, far from fame, where God chose to plant the roots of the Incarnation.
✨ The Annunciation — where Mary’s courageous yes set the Christmas story in motion, and where pilgrims today can stand inside the Basilica of the Annunciation, St. Joseph’s Church, and the grotto tradition associates with Mary’s home.
✨ Prophecy and purpose — what it means that Jesus would be called a Nazarene, and how Nazareth connects the “branch” foretold in Isaiah to the humble Messiah who would save the world.
✨ The hidden years of Jesus — daily life in the Holy Family’s hometown, brought to life through places like Nazareth Village, where visitors experience first-century carpentry, farming, and village life.
✨ Modern Nazareth today — a vibrant cultural center blending Christian and Muslim communities, offering rich food, markets, art, and easy access to major Galilee sites.
Throughout the conversation, you’ll receive practical talking points for clients and groups, spiritual reflections for pilgrims, and a powerful reminder: Nazareth teaches us that God meets us in ordinary places. This is where the Christmas narrative takes root—where heaven first touches earth, where prophecy begins to unfold, and where Mary models a heart willing to say, “Let it be to me according to your word.”
If you’re planning a Holy Land itinerary—or guiding others who are—this episode will equip you to present Nazareth not as a stop, but as a story-shaping experience.
Bethlehem holds the birth. Nazareth holds the beginning.
Come reflect, learn, and imagine the Christmas story from its true starting point.
Listen now—and join us next time as we continue this Christmas journey through the lands of the Bible.
27 mins