outh of the point where the Jordan River flows into the Sea of Galilee is Kursi, where the Miracle of the Swine took place.
The remains of Kursi were discovered accidentally after the 1967 Six Day War, when a road was paved along the eastern bank of the Sea of Galilee. Excavations revealed the remnants of the largest Byzantine-period monastery in Israel (123 by 145 meters).
esus, who wanted to escape from the crowd surrounding him, sailed with his disciples from Capernaum to the eastern shore of Sea of Galilee. During the voyage, a storm arose, and the frightened disciples called for their Master's help, but Jesus rebuked them for having little faith. The storm abated, and the boat reached the shore safely. When Jesus disembarked in the land of the Gadarenes, two men possessed with evil spirits approached him begging for healing. Jesus exorcised the demons from them, and the demons entered a herd of swine grazing nearby. The possessed swine ran amok down the slope and drowned in the sea, while their awed shepherds fled into the town.
Matthew 8:30-33, Mark 5:1-20, Luke 8:26-39 Now some distance away there was a large herd of pigs feeding, and the devils pleaded with Jesus, 'If you cast us out, send us into the herd of pigs.' And he said to them, 'Go then,' and they came out and made for the pigs: and at that the whole herd charged down the cliff into the lake and perished in the water. The herdsmen ran off and made for the city, where they told the whole story, including what had happened to the demoniacs.
he Monastery of Kursi was built in the 5th century to commemorate the Miracle of the Gadarene Swine. It was the largest monastery in the Holy Land, surrounded by a wall and fortifications. Its main entrance was from the west, through a monumental gate. An inlaid road ran from the shore of the Sea of Galilee to the gate and up to the church where magnificent mosaics depict the local flora and fauna.
he monastery flourished in the 6th century as the population grew and many pilgrims visited it. In the 8th century, the church was destroyed in an earhquake and was never restored.
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outh of the point where the Jordan River flows into the Sea of Galilee is Kursi, where the Miracle of the Swine took place.
esus, who wanted to escape from the crowd surrounding him, sailed with his disciples from Capernaum to the eastern shore of Sea of Galilee. During the voyage, a storm arose, and the frightened disciples called for their Master's help, but Jesus rebuked them for having little faith. The storm abated, and the boat reached the shore safely. When Jesus disembarked in the land of the Gadarenes, two men possessed with evil spirits approached him begging for healing. Jesus exorcised the demons from them, and the demons entered a herd of swine grazing nearby. The possessed swine ran amok down the slope and drowned in the sea, while their awed shepherds fled into the town.
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he Monastery of Kursi was built in the 5th century to commemorate the Miracle of the Gadarene Swine. It was the largest monastery in the Holy Land, surrounded by a wall and fortifications. Its main entrance was from the west, through a monumental gate. An inlaid road ran from the shore of the Sea of Galilee to the gate and up to the church where magnificent mosaics depict the local flora and fauna.
