“Walk where Jesus walked” is never more meaningful in your holy land tour then in Capernaum – referred as Jesus “own town” (Matt. 9:1). In Capernaum sit on the ancient synagogue with a foundation still present, and where Luke writes was built by a centurion whose servant Jesus healed (Luke 7:3-5). Capernaum is where Jesus began his teachings, this is where he taught (Mark 1:21; John 6:59) and made miracles by healing a man possessed by a demon (Mark 1:23-27), and where Jesus raised from the dead the daughter of this synagogue’s leader (Luke 8:49-53).
Capernaum was a beautiful sea side town decorated with beautiful stone carvings made with ordinary tools in Jesus times and are still visible today, a true reminder of his prediction about this town (Matt. 11:23). One of the highlights is Peter’s home, where Jesus made the miracle healing of Peter’s mother-in-law (Matt. 8:14-15; Mark 1:29-31). Capernaum is a must when visiting on a Christian pilgrimage to the Holy Land in Israel. It is here at Peter’s home after all where over centuries of pilgrims have left 131 inscriptions on the walls. Here you will see many times Jesus name and Peter’s as well as crosses carved in stone, along with pilgrim’s names and blessings. Later, in the fourth century, a church whose mosaic floor is still visible was built around Peter’s house as it’s main centerpiece, and only years ago a modern catholic church went all around the ruins. The old and new walls show the great reverence for this historical biblical site and the importance of the stories of the Gospels in the heart of Capernaum.
Archaeologists have done a marvelous job unearthing this fishing and farming village next to the Sea of Galilee, showing simple dwellings and depicting the typical town and life of Jesus disciples, and where Jesus taught and began his ministry around the age of 30 years old, the ‘Early Galilean ministry begins when after Jesus is Baptized in the Jordan River, he goes back to Galilee from the temptation of Christ in the Judean desert.