The Sea of Galilee, Replenished

Last month, we wrote about the miracle of the Holy Fire, that occurs the Saturday before Easter Sunday on the Greek Orthodox calendar within the tomb of Christ at the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Even during these trying times, the ceremony of the Holy Fire occurred in the nearly empty Church. Another miracle of sorts has also occurred this year in the Holy Land, farther north in the Galilee, where the water level of the Sea of Galilee is within inches of being replenished to full capacity after years of being dangerously low.

The Sea of Galilee holds a special place in the story of the Holy Land. Actually a freshwater lake, it is also referred to as the Sea (or Lake) of Tiberias, Kinneret, Ginneserat, Ginosar, and Minya across various cultures and in ancient manuscripts. The Sea of Galilee is the lowest freshwater body of water and the second-lowest body of water in the world, only surpassed by the incredibly saliant Dead Sea, connected to it by the River Jordan. At 53 miles in circumference and a maximum 141 feet depth, it has been a part of the history of humanity as far back as civilization itself. With its abundance of freshwater, diverse marine life, and nearly year-round warm climate, it is believed to be one of the earliest sites of permanent human settlement. Mentioned in both the New and Old Testament across 10 books and in 71 passages, the Sea was an essential part of the ministry of Christ. A major center of Jewish settlement by the time of Christ, it was significant for its fishing industry, among whom the Disciples Peter, James, and John were so famously part of. It is here that some of the most important miracles of Christ occurred, including the first and second miraculous catch of fish (Luke 5: 1-11) and (John 21: 1-14), Jesus walking on water (Mark 6: 45-53, also found in the Gospels of Matthew and John), and the calming of the storm (Matthew 8: 23-27, also found in the Gospels of Mark and Luke). On the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, commanding a spectacular view of the sea and the hills around it, is the place of Christ’s sermon of the Beatitudes, now know as the Sermon of the Mount (Matthew 5-7) Below the Mount in a place known as Tabgha, Christ also performed the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14: 13-21, also found in Mark, Luke, and John).

Since the early days of Christian pilgrimage, the Sea of Galilee and its environs have been one of the most important stops for pilgrims. The region is awash with the ruins of Byzantine churches marking the many sites so critical to the events and figures of the New Testament. Today, an essential list of the most important places of pilgrimage include a stop at the Church of the Primacy of Peter, where Christ told Peter ”On this Rock I will build my Church,” (Matthew 16: 18), a visit to the ruins of Capernaum, the fishing village that was the hometown of Peter, the Benedictine Tabgha monastery, which includes the church build over the remarkable Byzantine mosaic floor, the Church of the Mount of the Beatitudes, and of course, the opportunity to both take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee (and possibly visit the Kibbutz Ginosaur Museum to see the remnants of a fishing boat from the time of Christ), as well as have a fish dinner at one of the many restaurants on and nearby the Lake.

For years, the Sea of Galilee has suffered from low water levels, concerning many about the ecological stability of both the body of water as well as the entire region. Photographers from the first half of the 20th century dramatize how severe the decline in water levels has been. For now at least, the concern has abated and talk of opening the Degania Dam on the southern shore of the Sea, thereby replenishing the waters of the River Jordan, may prove to come true provided a plentiful rainy season in the winter of 2020/2021 occurs. Regardless, local residents have come to the Sea of Galilee to marvel at its replenished water levels, a sight soon to be enjoyed by pilgrims as they return to the Holy Land once again.

Be Not Afraid!

Good Shepherd Travel offers pilgrimages to the Galilee as part of their Holy Land tours. Rome, Lourdes, Fatima, Ireland, and many other destinations are among our most popular programs. For more information on how to begin preparing for a pilgrimage in late 2020 or in 2021, contact Tony AbuAita at Tony@goodshepherdtravel.com. We will return to pilgrimage – and we hope to see you with us!