Hebrew: En Sheva / Arabic: Tabgha

Coordinates 32°52′20″N 35°33′00″E / Elevation -650

Tabgha is not found in the Bible by name, nor by its Hebrew name, En Sheva (“Seven Springs”).  Located on the northwestern shore of Galilee, it is the traditional site of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes recorded in Mark 6:30.  The connection of this site with the feeding of the 5,000 dates to at least the early to mid 4^th century, as it was already marked by a small chapel when the Pilgrim Egeria* visited the place.  She noted:  “In the same place [near Capernaum] facing the Sea of Galilee is a well-watered land in which lush grasses grow, with numerous trees and palms.  Nearby are seven springs which provided abundant water.  In this fruitful garden, Jesus fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish.”  By the 5^th century, a large monastery and church had been built at the site.  The current Byzantine-style church was reconstructed on the site of the 5^th century edifice, incorporating portions of the ruins from the earlier building.

 

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Note: The Church of the Multiplication at Tabghawas was set on fire at 3:30 a.m. on June 18, causing severe damage to the church and lightly wounding two people on the premises. Read about it in the Times of Israel article here. 

 

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Tabgha in the Bible:  as mentioned above, neither town nor the specific region is mentioned in the Bible, even though the event that traditionally happened in this place is one of the best known miracles of Jesus.

Why we stopped:  The mosaics of the loaves and two fishes recovered and reconstructed from the Byzantine era chapel are some of the most recognizable from the Middle East.

*Egeria was an elderly Christian woman who made a pilgrimage to Israel in the latter part of the 4^th century, journaling as she traveled.