In the Old City of Jerusalem, there is a street called, in Arabic, the street of the Virgin Mary. It passes through the Lion’s Gate, also called, in Arabic, “Gate of the Virgin Mary.” If the street and the gate are named so, it is probably because they are on the road to the first church dedicated to the Virgin in Jerusalem: the Church of the Tomb of the Virgin (or of the Assumption), situated at the bottom of the Kidron Valley, next to Gethsemane. Another possible explanation is that it borders the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, better known as the Church of Saint Anne.
Upon passing through the gate, the visitor enters an area bordered by 19th-century buildings: the Greek-Catholic seminary and the convent of the White Fathers. A statue of Cardinal Lavigerie (d. 1892), Archbishop of Algiers and protector of the White Fathers, dominates the garden. Beyond that, the visitor’s gaze is drawn to the imposing walls of a Romanesque church: Saint Anne.
Church of Saint Anne in Jerusalem, viewed from the ruins of the Pool of Bethesda. Foto: Anthony Tannus Wright.
The intention of the Crusaders in dedicating this church to the Mother of the Virgin Mary, at a site so close to the Temple Mount, was to commemorate the childhood of the Virgin Mary. According to a devout tradition widely held in the Middle Ages, the Virgin Mary had consecrated herself to God, whom she served in His Temple in Jerusalem. Naturally, since she was a child, she would return home each evening. Since Nazareth was very far away, that same tradition imagined that the Virgin’s parents, Anne and Joachim, had a house in Jerusalem, north of the Temple.
It is worth noting that this tradition, which originated during the Crusades, did not fully take root. In fact, there are three churches in the Holy Land dedicated to Saint Anne. All these churches were built around the same time – in the mid-12th century. They are scattered across the geography of the Holy Land: in Jerusalem, Sepphoris, and Beit-Guvrin. While the tradition of Sepphoris is explained by its proximity to Nazareth, the one in Beit-Guvrin remains surprising due to its isolated location. In ancient times, it was a prosperous city called Eleutheropolis, on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. Its identification by the Crusaders with the biblical city of Beersheba does not explain the presence of a church dedicated to Saint Anne. It was built over the remains of a magnificent Byzantine church, on a remote hill that the local Bedouins, until recently, continued to call Sandahanna.
Interior of the Church of Saint Anne, in Jerusalem. Photo: Anthony Tannus Wright
Crusader Church of Saint Anne in Sepphoris, by the priests of the Incarnate Word. Photo: Wikipedia
“Sandahanna,” Church of Saint Anne in Beit Guvrin. Photo: Jorge Barroso
The Church of Saint Anne in Jerusalem follows a very austere architectural plan. Behind the solid character of its external walls lies much harmony: three naves separated by pillars ending in three apses. The choir is crowned by a dome. This is perhaps the most oriental element of the entire structure, although domes can also be found in Cistercian abbeys in Europe from the same period. The simplicity of its interior decoration is now striking. This would not have been the case in the Middle Ages. One should imagine all the walls covered with paintings in vivid tones and colors, like in the contemporary church of Abu Gosh.
Lintel of the Church of Saint Anne (Jerusalem) with its two inscriptions in Latin and Arabic. Photo: Anthony Tannus Wright.
Given these three churches of Saint Anne in the Holy Land, it seems that the Crusaders did not unify the traditions. Thus, three churches dedicated to the Mother of the Virgin Mary coexisted. Possibly behind the term “Saint Anne,” they wanted to honor the Nativity of the Immaculate – or the “All-Holy” as the Eastern Christians call her. Celebrating the Mother of Mary is also a celebration of the Immaculate Conception.
By Henri Gourinard