The Primacy of Peter
30-OCT-2008
IMG_0700.jpg
The Church of the Primacy of Peter is located at Tabgha on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee and commemorates Jesus' reinstatement of Peter after a fish breakfast on the shore. In John 21, Jesus appears to his disciples for the third time after his resurrection on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. The night before, Peter and several other disciples had sailed out on the lake to fish, but caught nothing. In the morning, a man appeared on the shore and called out to them to throw their net on the right side of the boat. Doing so, they caught so many fish they couldn't drag the net back into the boat.
At this point Peter recognizes Jesus, and promptly jumps out of the boat to wade to shore to meet him. The other disciples follow in the boat, dragging the net behind them. When they land, Jesus has prepared a charcoal fire for the fish and provided bread, and they have breakfast together (John 21:9). This is believed to have taken place on the mensa Christi, a large rock incorporated in the chapel.
After breakfast, Jesus reinstated Peter (after his three-time denial of Jesus at the crucifixion) with the words "Feed my sheep" (John 21:15-19). This is the event for which the modern church is named, which is interpreted by the Catholic Church to give the Pope (as the successor of Peter) authority over the worldwide Church.
30-OCT-2008
IMG_0710_1.jpg
Sometime around 381, the Spanish pilgrim Egeria visited the area and reported that next to the Church of the Loaves and Fishes "are some stone steps where the Lord stood" (John 21:4).
Egeria does not mention a church here, but one was built on the site by the end of the 4th century. It was roughly the same size and shape as the original Church of the Loaves and Fishes and its east end enclosed a flat rock identified as the table on which Jesus offered breakfast to the disciples (John 21:9). We see in this photo the rock were Jesus stood and called to Peter.
30-OCT-2008
IMG_0712_3.jpg
Some of our group taking pictures in the Church of the Primacy of Peter.
30-OCT-2008
IMG_0716_1.jpg
Another view of the Sea of Galilee looking south.
30-OCT-2008
IMG_0719.jpg
Another view of the Sea of Galilee from the Galilee side of the Church of the Primacy of Peter. We are looking at Mount Arbell in the distance.
30-OCT-2008
IMG_0725.jpg
A view of the south side of the Church of the Primacy of Peter. This was taken from the edge of the Sea of Galilee.
30-OCT-2008
IMG_0729.jpg
A Franciscan Monk on the church grounds.
click on thumbnails for full image