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> The Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes

The Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes

As early as AD 390 the pilgrim Aetheria describes a church at the seven springs, the site of the first multiplication of loaves by Jesus ( the name TABGHA comes from the Greek word Heptapegon "Sevenspring"): "This is the field where the Lord fed the masses with fife loaves and two fishes. The stone onto which he placed the loaves became the altar." The first, simple church was probably constructed in a Syrian style around AD 350.

In the second half of the 5th century this church was replaced by a considerably larger new building with nave, aisles, transept and several adjacent rooms. The venerated stone was placed below the new altar. Among other things the church was adorned with a mosaic floor of high quality,to a large extent still in tact to this day. The best known part of this mosaic is the portrayal of the two fishes and the basket of loaves in front of the altar, which reminds of the multiplication of loaves; also worth mentioning are the portraits of Fauna and Flora of the seascape in the aisles, which resemble Egyptian motives.

The Byzantine church was destroyed in the first half of the 7th century, probably by the Persians, who invaded the Holy Land in AD 614. The holy places near the Sea of Galilee, visited by many pilgrims in Byzantine times, fell into oblivion during the Arab occupation which followed soon afterwards.

Europe`s interest in the Holy Land increased towards the end of the 19th century. At that time the German Palestine Association was founded, known today as the German Association of the Holy Land. This association acquired a plot of land at Tabgha which has been in the care of the Benedictines since 1939. In 1911 the foundations of the Byzantine church and its mosaics were discovered during excavations which continued until 1932. In 1936 during restoration work on the mosaic floor, the underlying remains of 4th century church were discovered. At that time a temporary wooden church building was erected for the protection of the valuable mosaics.

This temporary church building required constant repairs. Eventually the German Association of the Holy Land decided to build a church in Byzantine style on the foundations of the 5th century church and in Tabgha a new centre of Christian life. Everything that remained of the original building was incorporated. This is how the present church came into being with its impressive, sober beauty.

The Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes was visited by Pope John Paul II during his journey through the Holy Land in March 2000.