Sea of Galilee Area

 September 27, 2023

We got breakfast at the Ron Beach Hotel about 6:30 AM.   The sun was just coming up over the eastern hills (Syria/Golan Heights) of Lake Galilee.  We drive to the north end of the Sea of Galilee to the   Tabgha area to visit the Chapel of St Peter's Primacy.

Grounds of the Primacy Chapel

 This area around the lake is very green with different   types of agriculture: bananas, avocado trees, mango,   and of course olive trees.

 The Chruch of the Primacy is in a lovely garden estate   along the Galilee shore line. The Church itself is small,   really a chapel.  It contains the rock where it is   believed   Jesus made breakfast after His Resurrection.  Thus, this rock is called the Mensa Christi, or Table of Christ.

Church of the Primacy

Table of Christ

Lake of Galilee

"You know I love you"  x3

It was here that Christ asked St Peter if he loved him three times.  Peter said yes, yes, yes; and Christ said "Feed my lambs, and feed my sheep.  On this rock I will build my church."

Capharnaum

This next site is considered the "home town" of Jesus.  It was a vital crossroads on the main highway through the area.  It was also a vital fishing village.  Jesus preached here in the synagogue, he healed many of the sick, and called many of his apostles here.  He is thought to have stayed in the house of St Peter.  Capharnaum is only an excavation of ruins from the time of Christ.  It no longer is an inhabited place.  

The Synagogue in Capharnaum

    

Synagogue in Capharnaum

Church over St Peter's House

The excavations at Capharnaum show the outline of houses.  The site of St Peter's house has a modern styled church built over it.  The church has a large opening in its floor looking down into a central room where it is thought Jesus stayed.

Central Guest room for Jesus

Statue of the "Homeless Jesus"

Our Catholic Palestinian guide made a comment that "Jesus wasn't really "homeless" as we think of homeless people today."    I think he missed the point of the statue, namely, that we are to see Christ in the homeless person today. 

Mount of the Beatitudes

Our bus took us from the lake shore of the Sea of Galilee to a nearby hillside.   Here the crowds followed Jesus as he was preaching along the sea shore.  The Church of the Beatitudes is built on a hillside that fits this general description near Capharnaum.  It is an octagonal church to match the number of beatitudes (8).  Each of the Beatitudes has a stain glass text window in the cupula dome of the church.  The surrounding grounds are extensive.  Our group has the opportunity to have a Mass in one of the adjoining gardens.   

Church of the Beatitudes

Octagonal Church of Beatitudes

Sanctuary of Church of the Beatitudes

Stain Glass Beatitude Windows

Blessed are the Peacemakers !!

Church of the Multiplication of Loaves 

Next we went to a near by town called Tabgha.   This was in the vicinity of the hillside of the Beatitudes.  Continuing the Scripture story of the crowds following Christ along the countryside while he preached and healed, we come to the multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes.   In Tabgha (in Arabic a name that means "seven springs") there is a church that from the accounts of Etheria of 300 AD was the site of the feeding of the 5,000 by the Christ.   Within the church there is a mosaic from the Fifth Century AD that is the depiction of the two fish and basket of loaves.  

Inside the Church of Loaves and Fishes

Mosiac and Stone under the altar

Chruch of the Loaves and Fishes

Boat Ride on the Sea of Galilee 

On board our Galilee ship

singing and dancing!!

This was a fun half hour ride on Lake Galilee.  It involved some group singing and dancing.  We all joined in the singing of the United States National Anthem as the captain raiseded our Stars and Stripes over the stern of our boat.  At one point, we all joined hands and danced the hora to Hava Nagila.

After this fun outing, we drove to the nearby town of Magdala.   Yes, the home town of the friend of Jesus, Mary of Magdala.  The menu for lunch was St Peter's fish.  That's a deep-fried Tilapia served with head, eyes, and tail intact.  It was good fish, just a little boney.