Capernaum ( Hebrew: כְּפַר נַחוּם, Kfar Nahum, "Nahum's village") was a fishing village in the time of the Hasmoneans, located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee.Archaeological excavations have revealed two ancient synagogues built one over the other. A church near Capernaum is said to be the home of Saint Peter.
The town is cited in all four gospels (Matthew 4:13,8:5,11:23,17:24, Mark 1:21,2:1,9:33, Luke 4:23,31,7:1,10:15, John 2:12,4:46,6:17,24,59) where it was reported to have been near the hometown of the apostles Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John, as well as the tax collector Matthew.
One Sabbath, Jesus taught in the synagogue in Capernaum and healed a man who had the spirit of an unclean devil. Afterwards, he healed a fever in Simon Peter's mother-in-law.According to Luke 7:1–10, it is also the place where a Roman Centurion asked Jesus to heal his servant.
Capernaum is also mentioned in the Gospel of Mark (2:1), it is the location of the famous healing of the paralytic lowered through the roof to reach Jesus. According to the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus selected this town as the center of his public ministry in the Galilee after he left the small mountainous hamlet of Nazareth (Matthew 4:12–17). He also formally cursed the city, saying "You shall be brought down to Hell," (Matthew 11:23) because of their lack of response to his teaching.
Jesus made Capernaum his home during the years of his ministry: "Leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum" (Matt 4:13).
Excavations revealed one residence that stood out from the others. This house was the object of early Christian attention with 2nd century graffiti and a 4th century house church built above it. In the 5th century a large octagonal Byzantine church was erected above this, complete with a baptistery. Pilgrims referred to this as the house of the apostle Peter.
The 5th C AD church, seen below, was built over St. Peter's house. It has the shape of an Octagon, which was typical of early churches and structures (such as Kathisma south of Jerusalem, and even the Dome of the Rock) .
The Beautiful view of the Sea of Galillee from capernaum
The ruins of this building, among the oldest synagogues in the world, were identified by Charles William Wilson. The large, ornately carved, white building stones of the synagogue stood out prominently among the smaller, plain blocks of local black basalt used for the town's other buildings, almost all residential. The synagogue was built almost entirely of white blocks of calcareous stone brought from distant quarries.The Synagogue was built at the end of the 4th C AD (Late Roman period).
In the photo below - the main prayer hall. This building was built from white limestone, which is in contrast with the local black basalt buildings. It had a roof, which stood over the pillars that are seen in the hall.
The synagogue appears to have been built around the 4th or 5th century. Beneath the foundation of this synagogue lies another foundation made of basalt, and Loffreda suggests that this is the foundation of a synagogue from the 1st century, perhaps the one mentioned in the Gospels (Loffreda, 1974)
the wall between the main prayer hall of the synagogue and the eastern courtyard.
Under the monumental building are the remains of the early Roman synagogue from the times of Jesus, which was built with the local (black) basalt rock. This earlier synagogue was the center of activities of Jesus, where he taught (Mark: "And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.")
The city's basalt houses are grouped around two large courtyards, one to the north and the other to the south. One large room in particular, near the east side and joining both courtyards, was especially large (sides about 7.5 meters long) and roughly square. An open space on the eastern side contained a brick oven. A threshold which allowed crossing between the two courtyards remains well-preserved to this day.
Jesus was confronted by a demoniac while teaching here (Mark 1:21-27).In Capernaum, Jesus healed the servant of the centurion. This Roman official was credited with building the synagogue (Luke 7:3).In this synagogue, Jesus gave sermon on the bread of life (John 6:35-59).
This photo shows the area between the synagogue and the 5th C church. The modern building, seen in the background, is the new church, which is built over the old church and the site of St Peter's house.
Star of David
Menorah on the Capitol
Parts of the synagogue stones are displayed in the area around the excavations, such as this element which shows the ark of covenant.
In the background, past the walled area, are the pink capes of the Greek Orthodox church.
In 1990 a modern church was built over the 5th C church, over St Peter's house. You can walk up to the main floor, which has a glass bottom in the center, and view the holy site.
Through the glass window you can see the house of St Peter, and around it the Octagon Church.
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