>> this is the traditional spot where the angel gabriel was believed to have announced to mary that she was about to give birth to the messiah. >> narrator: as the mother of jesus, mary has always occupied a special place in the hearts of many christians. >> mary is really the closest to god. she is known as the queen of heaven and is foremost among all of the saints. >> mary's an incredibly important figure for the early church because she is a symbol for women. there is this idea of a loving individual who is seen as the special protector of the weak, of someone who protects women, who protects children, who protects elderly. >> narrator: today the church of the annunciation is the largest in the middle east. the question is, if the seventh century description of nazareth is accurate, what happened to