Capernaum and The Mount of Beatitudes

We visit the town of Capernaum, the center of Jesus' activities in the Galilee and his home. Who else calls Capernaum home? Well, that would be the apostles Peter, Andrew, James and John, as well as the tax collector Matthew.  Just a note, Capernaum was one of the three cities cursed by Jesus for its lack of faith.




This synagogue, amoung the oldest in the world, was built in the 4th Century. Beneath this building is the foundation of a 1st Century synagogue, perhaps the one mentioned in the Gospels.

This is the ark of the covenant, that was found in this synagogue.
Christ did many miracles in Capernaum. Healed the servant of the centurion, healed the woman with the issue of blood, healed the paralytic lowered through the roof, .......

The House of Peter.  The ruins you see are reported to be the foundations of houses from the time of Jesus and that Octagon building is a new one built over what is believed to be Peter's house. Perhaps this is where Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law.

This is an olive mill and an olive press dating from Roman times in Capernaum.
Josephus referred to Capernaum as a fertile spring.

Oh my, Dixie Dee!
Capernaum is to my left and this is the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. 
It's fun to think about Jesus walking these shores asking the disciples to:
"Come Follow Me."

This is a view of the Mount of Beatitudes from Capernaum. Look closely you can see a dome shaped building. This site has been the traditional site of the Sermon on the Mount for 1600 years.

This is that dome shaped building, and it is a Roman Catholic Francisan chapel that was built in 1938. The grounds around this building are beautiful and peaceful. This overlooks the Sea of Galilee

This represents an area where the Sermon on the Mount could have taken place. Our guide suggested that the crowd was assembled on the hillside  Jesus was at the bottom of the hill, I always thought of it with Jesus at the top.

This is a view of the Sea of Galilee from the Church on the Mount of Beatititudes. I just loved imagining the apostles and Jesus teaching and living in this area. Fun stuff !

Another view of the Sea of Galilee, I tried to frame the fishing boat by the flowers, but it didn't work out as good as I hoped. C'est la vie!! Thus we come to the afternoon of Wednesday 10 November 2010. There is still more to see today, but I think it's time for lunch and a break!! See ya after we eat!!