The Galilee & Judea

Nazareth
Ein Kerem
Bethlehem
Jordan River
Mount of Temptation
Zippori
Cana
Capernaum
Sea of Galilee
Tabgha
Mount of Beatitudes
Kursi
Chorazin
Tiberias
Banias
Mount Tabor
Capernaum Print version

fter leaving his home town of Nazareth, which had rejected him, Jesus settled in Capernaum, a small border town north of the Sea of Galilee, surrounded by fertile soil and natural springs.
C
apernaum was a thriving fishing village on the shores of the Sea of Galilee and it was here that Jesus found his first disciples, most of whom were Hebrew fishermen. Jesus was a teacher in the synagogue, where he became well known for his preaching, and many of the miracles he performed took place in Capernaum and its environs. He healed the sick and aided the needy, and his name and deeds spread throughout the surrounding countryside.



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Matthew 11:23-24
And as for you, Capernaum, did you want to be exalted as high as heaven? You shall be thrown down to hell. For if the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have been standing yet. And still, I tell you that it will not go as hard with the land of Sodom on Judgement Day as with you.

Mark 4:39
They woke him and said to him, ‘Master, do you not care? We are going down!’ And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Quiet now! Be calm!’ And the wind dropped, and all was calm again.


n Capernaum he chose his 12 apostles and delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Here he called upon Matthew, the tax collector, to become his disciple. Here, too, he chose the fisherman Simon Peter, and his brother, Andrew, and Jonathan and his brother, James. It was in Capernaum that he healed the servant of the Roman centurion, the commander of the military guard. (Matthew 8:5-8). Here he revived the daughter of the Chief Priest of the synagogue and also cured the cripple of Capernaum. From Capernaum, he traveled near and far, but always returned to the place he regarded as his home. But despite the many deeds Jesus performed for the inhabitants of Capernaum, they turned their backs on him and his teachings, and therefore he laid his curse on the place.


The Ancient Synagogue
n Capernaum there are ruins of a once magnificent synagogue from the Roman period. It has been partially restored and features Corinthian capitals and intricately carved stoned reliefs. This synagogue was built on ancient foundations and stands out amidst the lowly dwellings. There are many artifacts made from the local lava stones, such as the ancient olive press and mill. It is here that Jesus prophesied that this flourishing town would be razed to the ground. (Capernaum was destroyed by an earthquake).



St. Peter’s House
ere, according to tradition, below the flooring of a later period, stood the house of Simon, St. Peter. The remains of an ancient church dating back to the 5th century feature a central octagonal shrine enclosing a drywall basalt structure. This is surrounded by an ambulatory similar to the ambulatory found in the Rotunda of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. There are also remains of two other churches
from various periods.


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he present Franciscan Church was built in 1990 over the site of the Insula Sacra. This structure offers the visitor an overview of the architectural elements related to the archeological finds.

he Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-law:
Matthew 8:14-17
And going into Peter’s house Jesus found Peter’s mother-in-law in bed with fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him. That evening they brought him many who were possessed by devils. He cast out the spirits with a word and cured all who were sick. This was to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah: 'He took our sicknesses away and carried our diseases for us.'


Mark 1:29-34
On leaving the synagogue, he went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon’s mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever, and they told him about her straightaway. He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another; he also cast out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was. Reference also Luke 4:38-41.



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The Greek Orthodox Church


he red-domed Greek Orthodox Church of the Seven Apostles marks the spot where Capernaum was rebuilt after the earthquake of 746. This church is dedicated to the seven apostles, as mentioned in the Gospel of John. The remnants of a two-meter wide basalt wall along the shoreline are visible. This wall may have been part of the quay that served the fishing village of Capernaum.