November 17th

The beginning of the day was not as rushed as yesterday since we didn't have to worry about packing our bags.  After breakfast this morning, we boarded the bus at 8 a.m. for our tour at various sites around the Sea of Galilee in short driving distances of less than 1/2 h from Tiberius.

We first went to Kibbutz Ginosar, where the remains of a boat, radio-carbon dated back to around the first century AD, was discovered in 1986 sitting in mud in the Sea of Galilee.  The boat has a really fascinating story about the discovery that may be found on the web, e.g. Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Galilee_Boat), https://thegalileeboat.com/the-boat/, https://www.jesusboat.com/Story-of-the-Jesus-Boat/).  Here's a picture of the boat on display at the museum there.

"The Jesus Boat" at Kibbutz Ginosar

If things had gone according to plan, we would have gone on a short boat ride immediately after our visit in the museum but there was a strong wind blowing across the lake raising a moderate chop on the lake with whitecaps.  As a result, the boat trip was delayed until later in the day.  However, the combination of the strong wind and the waves gave us some appreciation for what the apostles must have felt during a full-fledged storm on the lake.  This link opens a video I recorded of that experience - https://photos.app.goo.gl/eLFg1kLS8qWsXwxt6.

This still picture was taken from the video referenced earlier showing the white capped waves on the Sea of Galilee.

Next we were off to the Mount of the Beatitudes on whose hillside Jesus preached the Beatitudes (see Matthew 5:3–12, and Luke 6:20-22).  A small octagonal church was built there between 1936 and 1938.

Interior of the Church of the Beatitudes

The next site on our list of stops was the Church of the Primacy of Saint Peter, in Tabgha, Israel.  This is the site in John's Gospel, chapter 21, where Jesus appeared for the third time after his resurrection.  The disciples had gone out fishing in the Sea of Galilee and caught nothing during the night.  The disciples hauled in 153 fish, and had breakfast with Jesus where he asked Peter three times "Do you love me?".   The stone in front of the altar is where Jesus built the fire and prepared the breakfast for the disciples.

The Church of the Primacy of Saint Peter from the shore of Lake Galilee.

A view of the front of the church.

A view of the church interior.  The stone is where Jesus prepared the meal for the disciples.

Following this stop we travelled to Capernaum where Jesus spent part of his teaching ministry.  There are extensive archaeological excavations here that include the remains of an early church built over the site of St. Peter's home, and a very elaborate second century Jewish synagogue.  A new church was built over the site of the very old church with a glass floor to permit the viewing of the excavation beneath it.

Second Century Synagogue At Capernaum

St. Peter's Church, Caparnaum with archeological excavations around it and under it

Inside St. Peter's Church, Caparnaum showing viewing area above the archaeological excavation believed to be Peter's home.

Picture of the archaeological excavation (Peter's home) beneath the church.

Following lunch at St. Peter's Restaurant which served talapia, a fish species that Jesus and the disciples likely ate, we stopped at the Church at Taghba, which overlies a Byzantine-era church that contained the stone on which Jesus placed his head.  It was a beautiful modern church that had incorporated beautiful stone mosaics that were found when the Byzantine-era church was excavated.

Outside the Church of Tabgha, at the foot of the Mount of Beatitudes (Eremos Heights) 

One of the mosaic floors in the Church of Tabgha

Interior of the Church

Our next stop was at the site of a recent and very important archaeological dig at Magdala where a synagogue from the first century was uncovered.  It had been destroyed by the Romans after the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem.  This is likely a town that Jesus would have passed through in Galilee.  You can see where the synagogue was fortified before the Romans destroyed it.  This parallels closely parallels the history written by Josephus Flavius, a Jewish historian.  There are other extensive excavations ongoing at the site of the town of Magdala.  It was here, at the Duc in Ultum (launch out into the deep) Church that our pilgrimage group celebrated Sunday Mass.  There's lot more to describe about the church and the interior but I'll have to close it here due to time constraints.  More information can  be found at this site - https://www.magdala.org/visit/duc-in-altum/overview/.

Two separate pictures of one area of Magdala's excavations.

Ruins of first century Jewish Synagogue at Magdala.

Further excavations on the Magdala site.

The Duc in Altum Church

The Boat Chapel in Duc in Altum

12 Large icons of the disciples are on the pillars of the Boat Chapel - 7 were photographed.  Judas Iscariot (the panel at the end) is shown holding the money bag without a halo.

View of the altars of 3 of 4 side chapels at Duc in Altum

Following Mass, we went to the Kibbutz Ein Gev.  There we toured a store that sells olive oil products - both for cooking as well as cosmetics.  Following this we went on a brief boat cruise out into the middle of the lake and back.  Following this we went back to the hotel for supper.

Inside the Olea Essence Store at Kibbutz Ein Gev

View of one of the tour boats (like the one we took) out on the Sea of Galilee

View of the boat from the bow.  You see the back of St. Peter in the lower right corner of the photograph.

View of the lights on the opposite shore from our boat.

Unfortunately, due to continuing internet problems posting this blog is still somewhat problematic.  Rather than doing everything right now, I'll fill in the blanks later as time and internet resources permit.  This may mean this may not get tidied up for some time.

God bless you from Tiberius, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

Travels Day 4, November 17

Marker	Place Name
A	Restal Hotel, Tiberias
B	Kibbutz Ginosar
C	Mount of Beatitudes Church
D	Church of the Primacy of Saint Peter
E	Capernaum Ruins and St. Peter's Church
F	St. Peter's Restaurant Mifratz-Amnun
G	Tabgha Church of the Loaves and Fish
H	Magdala Excavation & Duc In Altum Church
I	Olea Essence - Ein Gev Kibbutz

Magnified view of north east corner of The Sea of Galilee where both D and G are visible.