AIN KARIM (Arabic: "Fountain of the Vineyard"). - Village located 7 km. west of Jerusalem ( - Karem of Ios, 15, 59, according to the Septuagint), which, according to a well-founded tradition dating back to the 6th century, would be the birthplace of St. John the Baptist, and is therefore called by Christians (on the basis of Lk, 1, 39) St. John in Montana.

The sanctuary of St. John, of Byzantine origin (5th-6th century), preserves the memory of the house of Zechariah with the various Gospel scenes linked to it: at the end of the left nave a grotto is shown in which the Precursor is said to have been born. More uncertain are the memories attached to the sanctuary of the Visitation, also of Byzantine origin.

Bibliography3 works

BIBL.: B. Meistermann, La patrie de st Jean Bapt, Paris 1908; P. Bury, St Jean Baptiste, Etudes historiques et critiques, Paris 1922, ch. III: Le lieu de la visitation ou la patrie de st. J. B., pp. 49-63, 400-401; B. Bagatti, Il santuario della Visitazione ad Ain Carim (Montana Judene): epiloroz, archeologica e ripristino, Jerusalem 1948.

Gaetano M. Perrella

@incollection{ec1_ain_karim_arabo_fontana_della, author = {Perrella, Gaetano Maria}, title = {Ain Karim (Arabo: «Fontana della Vigna»)}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {I}, pages = {605}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1948}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/ain-karim-arabo-fontana-della-vigna} }

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