Church of the Primacy of St. Peter |Mensa Christi Church

The church commemorates two events that occurred after Jesus was crucified. In the first event Jesus was resurrected three days after his crucifixion and was revealed in various places for 40 days, in this case he was revealed before his disciples in the Sea of ​​Galilee. His disciples could not fish. As they approached the shore, Jesus appeared to them and ordered them to cast on the right side of the boat and indeed a large lot of 153 fish was discovered on the net. After this miraculous catch, Jesus made breakfast for him and they understood that he was their lord. Therefore, the church also called “The Manzo Christi”/Table of the Lord”.

The second event is following the story that Jesus asks Peter if he loves him three times and the third time Peter says he loves him Jesus asks him to "shepherd his flock" and continue his way. This is the reason why the church called. “The Church of Primacy of St. Peter”.

The miraculous catch of Fish as appears in the new testament (John: 1-14 )

“Afterward Jesus appeared again to his dispels, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (known as Disymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I am going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them and they said, “We will go with you”. So, they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out of them, “Friends, Haven’t you any fish? “No, “they answered. He said, throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord” …When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught. So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them,” Come and have breakfast”. None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.”

The figure 153 is not by accident. It symbolizes the number of species of fish in the world, which are a comparison to the number of believers who will be caught in the net of the apostles and will follow them. The church is also called the "Table of the Lord" Mensa Christo "because of the meal which Jesus prepared for his followers.

Peter Primacy Story:

Peter is believed to be the first pope of Christians. The first time Jesus transferred his authority to him was at Caesarea Philippi when he asked him to give him the keys of heaven. The reason for the renewal of the former lies in the denial of Jesus by Peter on the night of the betrayal of the High Priest in Jerusalem. Three declarations of love are needed against these three denials at the end of which Jesus announces that he will let him lead his believers and "shepherd his flock."

Inside the Church

At the entrance to the church you pass a well-kept garden, a building belonging to the Franciscan nuns and the monks' residence separately. The church is based on a Byzantine church which was destroyed in the thirteenth century at the time of the Mamluk conquest. In 1933, the church was refurbished and refurbished in 1981. A Woman, Christian traveler wrote in his book of the fourth century about a stairway leading from the building directly to the Sea of Galilee. The importance of the church is in the bedrock at its center known as the "Mensa Christi" table of the Lord, on which according to tradition Jesus held the bread meal with the fish.

You will also find in the garden around the church a bronze statue showing how Jesus presents the baton of the shepherds, even though no baton is mentioned in the text. A symbolical way of showing the authority of the shepherd handed over to Peter. Every Christian will be able to identify with the human aspect of Peter's story - everyone can be wrong and finally accepted God's love and forgiveness. On one of the trees we can find a paper with small popes heads for generations with the exception of the new one. There is also a commemoration of the visits of Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II.

Basic information

Church name Church of the Primacy of St. Peter /Mensa Christi Church

Address: Tabgha

Map

Christianity order: Roman-Catholic, Benedictine 

Year of build :  1933

Arrival options

Logistic information:

Accessibility: You have to use stairs to get to the path leading to the church. Except for these stairs, it is suitable for wheelchairs.

Opening Hours: Mondays-Fridays 8:00-17:00, Saturdays 08:00-15:00, Sundays closed.

Telephone number 972-(0)4-6724767.

Toilets: Open to public and free of charge.

Nearby site activities

We are in Capernaum, near the National Park where, according to archaeological evidence, there is an old church and a house that pertain to Jesus.

My experience

It is always a good experience to visit the church with a pilgrim group as we see the sea of Galilee reaching the church and can easily imagine the story happening here. The travelers always get excited to see and touch the stone which, according to the tradition was the one which Jesus made a meal for his disciples on.