Cana

In week 5 of our Holy Land tour, we visit Cana.

In the heart of Galilee, north of Nazareth, this picturesque Arab village straddles the seam between ridge and valley. Strolling in its alleys toward the Wedding Church, we get a feeling of traditional village life.

The modest church, built in 1879, stands on the ruins of a structure (perhaps a synagogue) from 1600 years ago. With a flashlight, we can see the mosaic inscription in Hebrew through a glass panel in the middle aisle. Visitors find the church courtyard a lovely place to reaffirm their marriage vows.

In late 2004, archaeologists discovered remains from the time of Jesus’ youth on the western side of the town. They also found a Jewish ritual bath from a century later, when a large priestly family settled in Cana (5.1.). The finds included pieces of limestone jars such as held the water that Jesus transformed into wine (5.2.). From other excavations in the Galilee, we now know the context of this miracle: the region’s pagans revered Dionysus (Bacchus), whose myths portray him changing things to wine. In performing his “first sign,” Jesus is outdoing Dionysus.

5.1. A qualifying note: there are also Roman ruins at a nearby hill called khirbet kana, the ruin of Cana; some locate ancient Cana there.

5.2. John 2:6

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