Christ Church, Anglican church in Nazareth, Israel.
Christ Church is an Anglican church in Nazareth, the last work of Swiss architect Ferdinand Stadler, built in Gothic Revival style between 1869 and 1871 by the Church Mission Society. It stands in the middle of the church district, next to the Sisters of Nazareth convent and close to the Orthodox Church of the Annunciation. The intended spire was only added in 2014, 143 years after completion.
British sailors visiting Nazareth in 1861 found no church and petitioned the Anglican authorities in England; the following year, at Easter 1862, the Prince of Wales donated toward construction. The Church Mission Society built it to a Gothic Revival design by Swiss architect Ferdinand Stadler, whose last work it was; he died in 1870 before completion. Consecrated in 1871 by Bishop Samuel Gobat, it was the second Anglican church in the Holy Land after Jerusalem's.
Worship follows the Church of England liturgy in Arabic, with the whole congregation joining the responses and singing to a harmonium. In the late 19th century Rev. John Zeller noted worshippers in red fezzes, white caps or Bedouin-style black handkerchiefs, and a hall so packed that observers wished for a larger one. As of 2013 about 40 families, almost all Arab Palestinian, belong, with one Arabic service each Sunday morning and attendance around 50.
The church is normally accessible on Sundays and offers opportunities to explore its architectural details and interior. Visitors should expect traditional religious practices and wear respectful clothing.
The bell tower remained incomplete for over 140 years until a spire was finally added in 2014. This lengthy delay resulted from financial difficulties that hindered the project across generations.
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