Nazareth and Sea of Galilee

Nazareth, Sea of Galilee

     My boyfriend and I visited Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee on a tour. Both of these locations are north of Tel Aviv about an hour and a half drive out of the city. There are some extraordinary things to see here. Just to name a few; The Church of the Annunciation, The Church of Multiplication, and The Church of Saint Joseph, and so much more. The first church listed, is the site where Catholics believe that the Virgin Mary became incarnate of the holy spirit. This church has some of the most beautiful stained glass windows I've ever seen. Our tour guide told us the building stands 33 meters tall, one meter for every year Jesus was said to have lived. The second church I have listed is said to have been the place where Jesus multiplied two fish and five loaves of bread to feed the masses. The final church I've listed is where it is said that Joseph and Mary lived with Jesus during his childhood years. It is said they do not know if this was the exact house that Jesus' family lived in during his childhood, but it certainly was the same neighborhood they believed him to be living in growing up in Nazareth. Underneath The Church Of Saint Joseph is an actual house that is said to be from the time of Jesus. They have since built a church on top of this site and over the annunciation site to preserve the ruins. All of these locations are special if you believe and I would recommend going on a tour.
     The Sea of Galilee is actually a lake. It's known today by the name Lake Tiberius or the Lake of Gennesaret. The lake is next to the city of Tiberius and also the port of Magdala where it is said that Saint Mary Magdalene came from. The bible also states that this is the place where Jesus walked on water. Everything next to the Sea of Galilee is green and lush. I don't know about you, but when I see bible stories acted out in movies or on T.V. I always pictured these places sort of deserty and dry. But during springtime when we visited, the entire place smelled of freshness and the trees were fertile. It was nothing like the movies portrayed it to be. In the summer, our guide said that temperatures reach 40 degrees Celsius or higher with up to 80 percent humidity.  If you're looking to go, springtime or fall are the best options, as it is cooler and there are less travelers at these times of the year. I just remember being in awe at every place we visited that day.  Here we were, yet again, going to sites I'd only read about in the bible. It's so nice now to go back to church in my own town of Littleton or open my bible and be able to remember exactly what these places look like in real life. You can envision the stories with their actual backdrop. I have a whole new perspective when reading the bible now, and that experience is so priceless when it comes to faith. If you are a believer, make a special trip to Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee if you are planning to visit Israel. I promise, these places will not disappoint. 


Thanks

S

Here's a picture of the Sea Of Galilee