Kafr Kanna, Northern District, Israel

Kafr Kanna, Northern District, Israel

This is where, according to tradition, Jesus performed the miracle of wine when he went to a wedding and turned the water into wine.

In the seventeenth century Kafr Kana was recognized by the Vatican, and the Pope officially confirmed that this locality corresponded with Cana of Galilee. After its recognition, the town was added to the list of sacred places of Christianity.

Some researchers identify Kafr Kana with the Kana that mention the ancient Egyptian letters of Amarna written about 4,000 years ago. Be that as it may, during the Roman-Byzantine period (between 1,000 and 2,000 years ago) a large Jewish community lived here, But it seems that in the time of the Mamelukes (about 800 years ago) the majority of Kafr Kana’s residents were Christians, although there was still a Jewish community.

At present, a good part of its inhabitants are Muslims. In the center of the village there are some vestiges of old constructions and funerary caves. Its inhabitants have built new houses to the southeast and northeast of the old village. The most outstanding place is its catholic church, constructed in 1879 in the point where according to the tradition the miracle of the wine took place. Next to this church is the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, built in 1886, where there are two stone vessels that according to the faithful of this religion are the same in which Jesus turned water into wine.

There is also another church under the patronage of St. Bartholomew, built according to tradition, where the house of Nathanael of Cana (St. Bartholomew), one of the disciples of Jesus, stood.

Every year, 200,000 tourists visit Kafr Kana. Inspired by the miracle of wine, the tradition of holding weddings, as well as renewing wedding vows to strengthen marriage, has developed here, and visitors often buy wine.

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