Nazareth, July 1, 2025
Instagram screenshot
The Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth reported that a group identifying as “Soldiers of God” attacked the church on Sunday evening while it was closed.
The attackers removed the outer gate of the church and rang the bell without permission, the church stated. The group claimed to be protesting the Islamic State terror attack at Mar Elias Church in Damascus, which killed more than 20 people, reports the Jerusalem Post.
“The Orthodox Community Council will not allow the desecration of a holy place, has filed a police complaint, and will follow up on it,” the church’s statement reads.
Video footage shared on social media appears to show a Greek Orthodox priest attempting to control a small crowd, while protesters wave the flag of Israel and the Israeli-Christian religious flag. The same footage shows protesters hitting others in the crowd on the head with wooden crosses.
Senior church leaders arrived at the scene, confronted the protesters, and called the police.
The church subsequently called for a public gathering to occur at 6:30 p.m. on Monday in the church courtyard as a “public gathering in response to the attack on the church.”
The National Democratic Assembly in Nazareth condemned Soldiers of God, according to reports in Arabic-language media. “The Assembly considered the attack on the church as an attack on Nazareth and its people, an unsuccessful attempt to desecrate the city’s national position and its people, and an attempt to sow discord and promote foreign and strange agendas to our community.”
Greek Reporter tells about the Orthodox church in Nazareth:
The Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, also known as the Church of St. Gabriel, holds significant historical and religious importance in Nazareth. It is believed to be built over a spring where, according to Greek Orthodox tradition (based on the apocryphal Protoevangelium of James), the Annunciation took place—the moment the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary to announce she would conceive Jesus.
This spring was Nazareth’s only natural water source and was used by Mary and her family. Early Christians used this site for worship, and its waters were historically believed to contain healing properties.
The church was destroyed by the Mamluk Sultan Baybars in the 13th century (around 1260). After a period of disrepair, the local Greek Orthodox community was granted permission to rebuild it by Zahir al-Umar in 1749, and the current structure was completed in 1750.
Nazareth is a city of immense religious significance, primarily known as the childhood home of Jesus. It is a major center for Christian pilgrimage and is home to a diverse population, predominantly Arab citizens of Israel, with a significant Christian minority (around 31 percent) and a Muslim majority (around 69 percent).
The Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation stands alongside other significant Christian sites in Nazareth, each commemorating various aspects of biblical events.
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