stark ruins of a Crusader church and fortress, and inside its three chapels are a reminder of Peter’s suggestion to build “three huts, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” The view from the roof is stunning. The village of Nain, at the foot of Mt. Tabor, is where Jesus healed a young man and was first called “Lord.” Kafr Kana (Cana of the Galilee), site of Jesus’ first miracle at a wedding ceremony (John 2:1-11), is to the east. It is a small town, with two churches, one Franciscan (i.e., Roman Catholic), and one Greek Orthodox; and both contain remains of Roman era water pots reminiscent of the abundant supply of wine alluded to in the Gospel, when Jesus turned water to wine. Today, Kafr Kana is a place to which many Christian couples are drawn, to renew their wedding vows. Remains of what is probably the very first Christian prayer house in the world and most certainly the first in the Middle East, were discovered a few years ago at Megiddo, the New Testament’s Armageddon, which overlooks the Jezreel Valley. Megiddo, with its more than two dozen layers of ruins, tells the story of the changing face of conquest and settlement in northern Israel over thousands of years. Capitalizing on the significance of the find, plans call for the development of the site as an inspirational attraction and for Christian pilgrims and tourists interested in ancient Christian archeology.
THE SEA OF GALILEE
The Galilee is rich in the memories of Jesus’ ministry, and no pilgrimage journey can be considered complete without visits to the significant places where He walked and preached. When beginning a trip to explore the sites around the sea, an excellent starting point could be Capernaum - not only because this was where Jesus lived in the area and where He preached, but because it is possible to reach the site via boat, giving the visitor the experience of plying the waves of the Sea of Galilee on a boat very much resembling those in use in Jesus’ time. According to accounts in the New Testament, it was at Capernaum that Jesus selected His first disciples. One of the more interesting parts of the site is an edifice known as Peter’s House, dedicated in ancient times as a Church shrine, with early Roman graffiti still visible on the walls. The building is run by the Franciscans, who have constructed a second layer ceiling/floor partition there and have dedicated the upper level as
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