EIN KAREM

Tradition puts Ein Karem (or "Ain Karem") as the birthplace of John the Baptist about 4 miles west of Jerusalem. It is surrounded by olive trees here in what the Bible calls "the hill country of Judah." This is the traditional site of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth as recorded in Luke 1:39-45. The site has been chosen partly because of its location as being within easy reach of Jerusalem, so that Zacharias (the father of John the Baptist) could be within easy reach of the Temple. Tradition for this site being the place of the birth of John the Baptist has been supported by archaeological and literary documents. The evidence for traditional sites being authentic have strong support because of the accuracy of one generation passing down information to the next generation. There is a church there named after John the Baptist built over a cave where they say that Zacharias and Elizabeth lived at the birth of their son John. On the wall that faces the church, the Magnificat is written in 41 languages. Ein Karem is Biblical Beit Hakerem. 

This marks the place of the home of John the Baptist in Ein Karem.