(Sea of Galilee Region)
Visit Bible Land Stories for Capernaum in the Bible and the video “I am the Bread of Life.”
View East: Sea of Galilee surrounded by New Testament cities (light orange).
View East: The north shore of the Sea of Galilee with both east and west Capernaum in view.
East Side of Ancient Capernaum
The Greek Orthodox Church of the Twelve Apostles serves local Greek Orthodox Christians and is well worth the time it takes to visit. The frescoes inside the church attest to its magnificence. The church’s grounds are peaceful, and there is a reverent feeling as you walk around. Young and old sit along the shore with their scriptures and paper for recording impressions. The flowers, peacocks, and nearby shoreline add to the beauty of the church and grounds
West Side of Ancient Capernaum
The White Synagogue of Capernaum was built in the 4th century AD. Below the foundation of this synagogue is another foundation made of basalt. Some believe it to be the foundation of a 1st-century synagogue and maybe the one mentioned in the Gospels. Jesus gave His “Bread of Life” sermon in the synagogue of Capernaum, providing a clear witness of His divinity, mission, and purpose (see John 6:25-71 KJV, NASB, NIV, ESV).
Ark of the Covenant depicted on a carved stone.
Moses and Joshua bowing before the Ark by James Tissot.
The children of Israel used the seven-lamp candelabrum in the Tabernacle wandering through the desert. They also used it in the Temple in Jerusalem and synagogues.
The hexagram has appeared in Jewish contexts since antiquity as a decorative motif. It has become a symbol of Judaism and the Jewish community.
The White Synagogue (4th century AD) with basalt ruins from the Roman period town (63 BC–135 AD).
Statue of Saint Peter upon whose ministry the Catholic Church was built.
The memorial building is a modern church built over the excavated remains of an ancient 1st-century house and Byzantine octagonal church. It stands on concrete stilts so visitors can see the ancient structures below it. A glass floor in the church provides a view of the excavated area.
The memorial building was built over the 1st-century house said by some to be the house of Saint Peter. Two churches were constructed over the house.
The foundations of the octagonal 5th-century church constructed over the house of St. Peter are visible through the glass.
The video swings around from Capernaum toward Mount Arbel and the Plain of Gennesaret.
View East: Sea of Galilee surrounded by New Testament cities (light orange).
View East: The north shore of the Sea of Galilee with both east and west Capernaum in view.
Photo caption: “The picture above is a representation of Capernaum as it appears today [1894]. Broken marble, Corinthian and Doric capitals, weeds, desolation, and the ever-moving and everchanging Galilean Sea, is all that we see now. The proud Capernaum, that was exalted to heaven, is now left utterly in ruins.”
Year: 1894. The Lenkin Family Collection of Photography, University of Pennsylvania Libraries.
Photo caption: “A woman stands amid the ruins; in the background is a colonnade and a stone wall.”
Year: 1926. The Lenkin Family Collection of Photography, University of Pennsylvania Libraries.
Year: 1938. The Lenkin Family Collection of Photography, University of Pennsylvania Libraries.
Photo caption: “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. These things Jesus said while teaching in the synagogue of Capernaum (KJV John 6: 53-55, 59).”
Year: 1950. The Lenkin Family Collection of Photography, University of Pennsylvania Libraries.
