[1] Likely first established in Byzantine-era Palaestina Prima, it was rebuilt during the time of the Crusades, and in its current shape in the 18th century under the rule of Zahir al-Umar, the Arab governor of the Galilee.

[2] Known colloquially among the Greek Orthodox worshippers of Galilee whom it serves as Kniset el-Rûm[i], or Church of the Romans in the sense of Eastern Romans or Byzantines in Levantine Arabic, the church is located over an underground "spring" (actually the outlet of a 17-metre conduit coming from an uphill spring[3]), which according to Eastern Orthodox belief is where the Virgin Mary was drawing water at the time of the Annunciation.

[4][5] Water from the spring still runs inside a side chapel of the church and also fed the adjacent site of Mary's Well, located 150 yards (140 m) away.

In Christian tradition, the event by which Mary was informed by the angel Gabriel of God's intention to make her the mother of Jesus is known as the Annunciation.

He will be great, and be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; And of his kingdom there will be no end."

[2] The Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation is located over the spring where it is believed that Mary first heard the angel Gabriel's voice.

[8] This spring, which is mentioned in the writings of pilgrims to Nazareth over the centuries, is also thought to be where the six-year-old Jesus was sent by his mother to fetch water, as is recorded in the non-canonical Infancy Gospel of Thomas.

[8][11] The waters of the spring issue from a mountain known as Jabal as-Sikh and flow through an underground channel in the rock for 17 meters (56 ft) before emerging in the church.

James writes, "This was a decorous and beautiful chapel, but now is partly destroyed," and tells of drinking from the water of "a small clear spring" lying adjacent to the structure, which is said to be the same as that from which the Virgin Mary and Boy Jesus drank.

[9] Another account from this century by the Franciscan friar Nicolas of Poggibonsi (c. 1346-50) describes a fine church of St. Gabriel as being held by "Indians of Persia, who are called Alaphisi".

On the other hand, an account from 1563 by Luigi Vulcano della Padula describes the church as being in ruins, with only a small cave remaining as a memorial.

At the end of the 16th century, Jan Kootwyk describes, "the ruins of an arched construction, of a certain sanctuary of the oriental Christians dedicated (it is said) to the Archangel Gabriel."

[14] In 1750, they built a new church to the south side of the subterranean chamber, adding a wooden iconostasis (a screen decorated with icons) in 1767.