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 Tabgha
"Then he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes."
Matt. 14:19
The fertile Tabgha valley lies three kilometers northwest of Capernaum. Seven springs are said to flow into the lake here, hence, the site's Greek name, Heptapegon. At Tabgha, the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes commemorates the miracle of Jesus' feeding five thousand people with five loaves and two fish. A Byzantine mosaic floor in the church depicts spectacular flora and fauna motifs. Near the altar, one ancient mosaic portrays a pair of fishes and a basket of loaves.
Not far from Tabgha, the lakeside Church of Peter's Primacy stands over the place where Jesus commanded Peter to "feed my lambs" (John 21:15). On a hill on the other side of the road are remains of a early church dedicated to the Beatitudes (Matt 5:4-11). The present-day Chapel of the Beatitudes is located at the top of the hill. From its balcony a magnificent panorama of the Sea of Galilee can be seen. A new promenade along the Sea of Galilee now links Tabgha to Capernaum.
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