church of the annunciation. >> today, the church of the annunciation still stands in the center of nazareth attracting tens of thousands of visitors a year. >> this is the traditional spot where the angel gabriel was believed to have announced to mary she was about to give birth to the messiah. >> 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's a symbol for women. there's 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.