I now knew where I was. St. Stephen’s Gate is where tradition says St. Stephen was stoned to death, and it is also the gate through which Israeli soldiers broke into the city during the Six Day War. I assumed this was the place she wanted me to see.
“No, no,” she said, laughing as she motioned me off to the left and through another gate. There, suddenly before us, was an amazing sight. A cathedral of stark simplicity, but with a strange beauty, rose up from a platform of gray stone.
“Those solid, skyward-thrusting walls have more than a hint of Norman, Crusader strength,” I exclaimed.
“You’re right,” she said. “It is a Crusader cathedral and happens to be one of the best examples of Norman work.”
“What is it called?” I asked, thinking it must be named for one of the disciples.
“Saint Ann’s Church,” she said and waited to enjoy my surprise.
“But who was Saint Ann to have such a splendid memorial built in her honor?” I asked.
“Saint Ann was Mary’s mother and the grandmother of Jesus. This marks the place where the house of Mary’s parents stood. Down through the years there were churches built here, but they were all destroyed. Then, when the Crusaders came, they wanted to build a cathedral on this spot so it would be remembered.”
“How strange,” I said. “I always pictured Jesus and his family living in Nazareth.”
“So have most people,” she said.
I loved the cathedral and treasured the story behind its existence. I learned, as I studied the accounts of Jesus’ birth and the history of those times, that the house of Saint Ann was right beside the pool of Bethesda and very close to the Jewish temple area. This suggests that, being of the lineage of King David, they were involved in affairs of the temple. This could place them in a position to pose a threat to King Herod, who ruled from 37 B.C. to A.D. 4. During this time he conscripted thousands of Jews to work on the new temple he was building. He was fiendishly cruel and killed not only people in his own family but anyone who threatened his authority. It is recorded that he hunted down descendants of King David with the same vigor that he killed the five thousand babies in Bethlehem, just to make sure no descendant of David would rise up and lay claim to the throne. What could be more logical than for the Jews, who would have been threatened in this way, to move quietly to Nazareth? That would have involved quite a few families and probably would have included Joseph’s family.
When Herod died, the immediate threat no longer existed. Though the new ruler was cruel, he did not feel as threatened by the descendants of King David. For this reason, I have assumed Mary would have moved back into the old family home. This means that as the story opens Mary is receiving Luke in the house that was on the site that is now St. Ann’s Church.
Luke was a Greek physician from Antioch (Col. 4:14). There is considerable evidence that he was originally from Macedonia and went to medical school in Philippi. As a Greek and a Gentile, he brings a unique perspective to the story. He has nothing to prove. He is not a Jew and knows nothing about the coming of a messiah. Undoubtedly, he would ask different questions and would examine miracles with more knowledge.
I have made use of the first few verses in the book of Luke, where he gives his motive for investigating the stories about Jesus—the fact that there are so many stories that no one knows what to believe. For those who have longed for a credible, eyewitness account of the events surrounding the life of Jesus and his followers, Luke does very well. The Greeks were known for their analytical approach to life, and as a physician he had a good grasp of reality.
Because of his detailed account of Christ’s birth, Luke seems to have gone directly to Mary as the one person who would really know the truth about Jesus. He obviously listened very closely as she told about angels and the messages they brought. He had come looking for truth, not with the intent of inventing a good story.
I have included no fact or story that is not in Luke’s Gospel. For this reason, the story of Lazarus’s resurrection from the grave is not included. However, the story of his sister Mary is, even though I had to go to the book of John to get all of the facts. Luke tells us of a woman who came into the house of a Pharisee, where Jesus was having dinner, and anointed his feet with her tears and a precious ointment then wiped them with her hair. In John 11:2 we are told that Mary, the sister of Lazarus, is the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet in the house of the Pharisee. I included this story because it shows Jesus’ attitude toward sinners and gives us insight into the family in Bethany that he loved.
It is a fact that tradition also describes Luke as an artist, and there are several paintings in existence that he is supposed to have painted of Mary. We will not be surprised by this if we realize that the Greeks were very artistic people. It would not be strange for a Greek to have a profession as a physician and at the same time be a painter. These paintings are in the Vatican today.
I have been enthusiastic about this book because it is Mary who really knew who Jesus was. She had seen and heard the angel’s announcement and had become pregnant, as she says, “without knowing a man.” Of course she expected miracles and blessings and undoubtedly could not understand why he didn’t free them from Roman domination. Other people saw and doubted because their expectations were not met, but Mary couldn’t doubt, and so she pondered.
Many people have contributed to the success of this venture, and it would not be right not to name them.
First, I must give great credit to my agent, Olga Weiser, who is also a Greek and could give some good advice; my beloved editor, Lonnie Hull DuPont; and Sheila Ingram and Kelley Sytsma, who had to jump in at one point to keep the ball rolling. Of course, I have to mention my youngest son, James, who nudged me into learning to use the computer. Then there are my two sons on the island of Cyprus, Philip and John, who have given valuable advice. There is my daughter Debby Carrick, who is a valued resource person, and her daughter Sharon, a student at Wheaton, who did a very good pre-editing job. Then there is Paul, who didn’t read the manuscript or even touch it but pulled many practical irons out of the fire so I could keep on writing.
It is impossible to name my many friends who have been a constant encouragement, but I would be remiss not to name a few: Sylvia Lacey, Linda Underwood, Jeanne Ridley, July Moon, Mary Lynn Anderson, Margery Bensey, Susan Phipps, Nancy Miller, Ruth Githens, and Mary McKinnon, all members of the Knoxville Writer’s Group. There have been others: Leona Choy, a well-known writer herself; Pat Brigance, an able research enthusiast; and Debby Way, an expert in advertising and selling books.
Roberta Kells Dorr is known for bringing some of the Bible’s best-loved people to life through her biblical fiction. She has written many novels, including the best-selling David and Bathsheba. She lives in Maryville, Tennessee.
Honored Page 4
