Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant Church.

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Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant

Israel

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Crowned with a statue of Mary carrying the infant Jesus, this hilltop church was built on the site of Kiryat Ya’arim, believed by many Christians to be where the Ark of the Covenant remained during the reigns of kings Samuel, Saul and David. A 5th-century mosaic can be seen on the church floor, beautifully preserved from the original Byzantine basilica that was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times. Standing today is a 1924 rebuild, decorated in lustrous art-deco style.

Craft and food stalls appear within this gated complex on Saturday mornings.

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