The Nazareth Trust traces its roots back to 1861, when a young Christian doctor, Dr Kaloost Vartan, made the journey from Edinburgh to Nazareth, the hometown of Jesus, establishing a small four-bed clinic.

At that time, it was the only medical facility in the town, and as far as Damascus and Beirut in the north, and Jerusalem in the south. Dr Vartan did pioneering medical work, reaching out to a population whose life expectancy barely reached 25 years at that time.

No doubt, Dr Vartan drew his inspiration from the words of Jesus. As he stood up in the synagogue in Nazareth Jesus proclaimed: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

While our roots are in the provision of medical care, today, the Nazareth Trust is more than just a hospital. We are a dynamic Christian organisation, with over 250,000 people accessing any one of our services in healthcare, education and voluntary service every year.

We have a unique history, but also an ambitious vision for the future. There are many people who share in our passion and vision for the Holy Land. We hope you will do too, as you understand how you can make a difference to the people of Nazareth and the regions beyond.