The Mount of the Beatitudes and Capernaum

The small city of Capernaum was located on the northern shores of the Sea of Galilee.  Only about a mile down the beach from our hostel, we experienced that area firsthand and could understand why the Savior loved it so much.  In Christ’s day, Capernaum was one of the most prosperous and crowded cities in all Palestine.  Much of Christ’s ministry occurred here.  It was the location of the healing of the paralytic lowered through the roof to reach Jesus.  It was the home of Peter, Andrew, and Matthew and the setting for where Christ healed Peter’s mother.  Christ taught in the synagogue there.  Later, though, He cursed the city for their rejection of him and the teachings and miracles done there.

 The synagogue as it is today

Notice the 2 large keys Peter is holding

Nearby is the Mount of the Beatitudes, on top of which is The Church of the Beatitudes.  It is a beautiful and peaceful location overlooking the Sea of Galilee and its northern shore.

The view of the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee from the top of the Mount of Beatitudes

Not very far down the road is Tabgha.  This site is famous as the site where Christ performed the miracle of feeding the multitude with a few loaves and fishes.  While wading in the water close-by, we watched some fishermen casting their nets.

Fishermen casting their nets near the shore

A tile mosaic of the fish and loaves (represented here in the rock garden) is laid next to a large rock on the church floor, which has caused some New Testament scholars to speculate that the builders of the original church believed that Jesus stood on this rock when he blessed the fish and loaves just before the feeding of the crowd who had come to hear him.