Jesus sites in Galilee!

Monday, August 29.  Today was a great day because the sites that we quickly visited on our "pre-tour" were all places around or near the Sea of Galilee that are associated with the life and ministry of Jesus.  These included Capernaum, the home of Peter that served as the center for much of the Galilean Ministry; Taghba, the site traditionally associated with the Feeding of the 5,000; St. Peter's Primacy, where Jesus may have met with Peter and a few of the disciples after the resurrection (see John 21); The Mount of the Beatitudes, the traditional site of the Sermon on the Mount; Mount Tabor, the traditional site of the Transfiguration (though it may well have occurred on Mt. Hermon farther north); and Nazareth, the site of the Annunciation and then the early life of Jesus.

It is now after midnight, and I am exhausted after two days of touring, after which I spent time catching up with my family in the apartment and posting pictures from yesterday.  So without any further explanation, here are a few pics!

In the ruins of a later synagogue in Capernaum built on the site of the first century synagogue probably used by Jesus.

Under a modern Franciscan church lie the foundations of an earlier Byzantine church which in turn rest upon the remains of a first century house traditionally attributed to Peter

On the water front of Capernaum with Steve, Jared, and Ray. Peter and Andrew and James and John were fisherman operating from here, and it was from somewhere near here that Jesus called them to follow him

Taghba is an Arabic corruption of the Greek Heptapegon, meaning "seven springs."  This is the traditional site of the Feeding of the 5,000.

The exposed rock under the altar at the church in Taghba is reputedly where the loaves and fish were laid.

The Church of St Peter's Primacy commemorates the Savior's post-resurrection interview with Peter: "Simon, lovest thou me more than these" and his direction that Peter "feed his sheep."

Inside this church my friends made me sing "Come, Follow Me." I did so only if they would sing with me, but once I started I sang with all my heart, almost in tears. 

The Church on the Mt of the Beatitudes commemorating the Sermon on the Mount.

The beautifully manicured lawns and gardens of the church slope down to the Sea of Galilee. Here or in a spot like it nearby, the Lord may have delivered his Sermon on the Mount.

The Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation over a spring where their tradition holds Mary was when Gabriel appeared to her

The Roman Catholic Basilica of the Annunciation, built on the reputed site of Mary's home, where this tradition maintains the Annunciation took place

The grotto that reveals the remains of earlier Crusader and Byzantine churches.

Church of St. Joseph

In the basement of the Church of St Joseph are the remains of what is claimed to be the workshop of Joseph the Carpenter

This so-called "Synagogue Church" is built around the remains of the first century synagogue where Jesus may have taught.  It later became a church for the Jewish Christians of the first and second centuries.

In the market by some freshly dressed lambs. A little bit of local color!