Mount of the Beatitudes and other Lake Tiberias, Israel Things to Do Tips

This place just resonates "peace be with you". No wonder Jesus was inspired to preach here in this area (aside from the fact that Galilee was a hotbed of political insurrection). You can readily believe the meek will inherit the earth when you stand on this hill and feel the soft breeze blow the hair across your face and you look out over the lush valley and spot of blue water...there is a very tranquil, reverant feel to the place that has as much to do with Nature as it does with a spiritual flashback. It's an easy drive from Tiberias, toward Tabgha, and up the hill.

Biblical References:
Matthew 6:30-44 , Luke 6:31

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Address: Tabgha Area
Directions: Galilee

The town of Tabgha has a lot of Christ-related phenomena, including Jesus' last appearance in the Galilee area, the Sermon on the Mount, and the Miracle of the feeding of the masses. The Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes is a small, understated building erected over the site where this New Testament story took place.

I liked the simplicity of this church and what it represented. There is a lot of information here for the person who is interested in learning about all the events that took place in Galilee during the three years that Jesus preached here. It's just a short drive from Tiberias.

Biblical References:
Matthew 13: 1-9 , Matthew 14: 13-21 , Mark 6: 30-44

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Directions: Tabgha area, Galilee

Inside the church, an alter is built over the area believed to be the stone upon which Jesus performed his miracle of feeding the multitudes...i.e. the multiplication of loaves and fishes.

Note: The gift store here has reasonably priced religious items if that's of interest to you.

Biblical References:
Matthew 13: 1-9 , Matthew 14: 13-21 , Mark 6: 30-44

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I took this shot while driving down from Taghba (site of the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes) to the village of Capernaum.

We know that Capernaum was Peter’s home town (as well as Matthew, James, John and Andrew) and Jesus’ home base while ministering and miracle-working in the Galilee. The church you see in this photo was built by a German Franciscan order around 1940 and is known as The Primacy of Peter. It’s located right at the water’s edge. (more interesting info on this church in subsequent tips).

The ruins in the general area indicate a fishing village dating back to the time of Christ, and other references including mapping and geographic data also confirm that this is indeed Capernaum (separate info on Capernaum in subsequent tips). They’ve since dug up archaeological evidence to support the theory that in fact, this is precisely where Peter’s home was once located (and I mean literally, they’ve honed in on what is believed and widely accepted by archaeological and biblical scholars, to be Peter’s actual family home!). Anyways, back to more contemporary times: the Church of St. Peter is one of the two most familiar sights in the area, and words can’t describe what it feels like to come around the bend of the road and see it in the distance, by the beautiful shores of the lake (Sea of Galilee)…

Biblical References:
John 21: 15-19

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This church is located on the spot where Jesus appeared to the apostles for the third time after His resurrection.

Outside the church is a lovely little garden punctuated by a statue which I found to be a moving depiction of Jesus conferring responsibility upon Peter.

Very beautiful here…very peaceful. Even some Israeli and Jewish American visitors who’d stopped by for a look, remarked how “holy” it felt here. Many visitors take back small pebbles and stones from the lakeshore here, for sick friends/relatives.

Biblical References:
John 21: 15-19

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Inside this small church you'll find a rocky formation at the alter, and it is this formation that is believed to be the table at which Jesus and the disciples ate breakfast after He appeared to them from the shore, for the 3rd time post-resurrection.

There is a feeling inside here...reverent, really....with swallows flying in and out and a breeze that blows through so gently...it's not enough for me to describe it with words.

Must be experienced.

Biblical References:
John 21: 15-19

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The rocky area (steps) embedded into the wall of the church (the Byzantine pilgrims often constructed their churches, incorporating the rocks as part of the church itself as was the case here) are considered holy, as they are widely accepted to be the actual place where Christ stood when the apostles saw him for the 3rd time, post-resurrection. These rocks extend into the interior of this church, and form a kind of table believed to be the place where Christ ate breakfast with the apostles that same morning.

Biblical References:
John 21: 15-19

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Capernaum can be thought of as the "home base" from which Jesus taught his ministry while in the Galilee area. It's also the area where Jesus performed the majority of his miracles. And perhaps just as important for Christians, it is the home of St. Peter, and recent archaeological discoveries seem to underscore this. (also home to other apostles such as Matthew the tax collector, and Andrew, James and John).

Biblical References:
Matthew 1:12-17 , Matthew 4:13 , Matthew 8: 5-17 , Matthew 8: 23-27 , Matthew 9: 1 , Matthew 11: 23-24
Mark 1: 21-22, 29-30 , Mark 2: 1-17
Luke 7: 1-10
John 6:54

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It's interesting to visit Caperneum because in addition to the small village ruins which provide a glimpse into what a fishing village may have been like back then, researchers are fairly certain that they have been able to identify Peter's home. The unfortunate twist to this is that a kind of ugly, modern church has been erected directly over the site believed to be Peter's house, so it makes visualizing his home a challenge. There's a large plaque next to it with a blueprint of the house, but the only way to really see it is to actually climb the stairs into the church itself (which isn't always open and when it is, is open primarily for mass and not for visitation per se) and take a peek through the glass bottom floor of the church.

Biblical References:
Matthew 1:12-17 , Matthew 4:13 , Matthew 8: 5-17 , Matthew 8: 23-27 , Matthew 9: 1 , Matthew 11: 23-24
Mark 1: 21-22, 29-30 , Mark 2: 1-17
Luke 7: 1-10
John 6:54

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Of interest here are the ruins of a synagogue...not the one frequented by Jesus, but what must have been a local house of worship (built maybe a century after Jesus was crucified). The ruins themselves reminded me of something one would see in Athens. The views toward the Sea and also the Greek Monastery, are beautiful.

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