Archaeologists 'confirm' site of Jesus' water-into-wine miracle
The narrative tells of Jesus' mother Mary, who was present at the wedding along with her son and his disciples, noticing that the wine had run out. It is at this point that Jesus performs the transformation of water into wine, showcasing his divine prowess.
The site of this purported miracle has remained elusive for 2,000 years, but archaeologists now believe they may have solved the mystery.
Excavations at the erstwhile site of Khirbet Qana - a Jewish village from 323 BC to 324 AD - revealed several intriguing clues, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Archaeologists unearthed a series of tunnels used for Christian worship, adorned with crosses and inscriptions of 'Kyrie Iesou', a Greek phrase translating to Lord Jesus, reports the Express.
Artifacts such as an altar and a shelf bearing the remnants of a stone vessel were found, suggesting that weddings might have taken place there. The Gospel account mentions that the wine was stored in six stone jars akin to the one discovered at Khirbet Qana.
Dr Tom McCollough, who supervised the excavations at the site, located in present-day Israel, acknowledged that there are three other sites with plausible claims to being the location of the miracle. "But none has the ensemble of evidence that makes such a persuasive case for Khirbet Qana," he said.
"We have uncovered a large Christian veneration cave complex that was used by Christian pilgrims who came to venerate the water-to-wine miracle. This complex was used beginning in the late fifth or early sixth century and continued to be used by pilgrims into the 12th-century Crusader period.
"The pilgrim texts we have from this period that describe what pilgrims did and saw when they came to Cana of Galilee match very closely what we have exposed as the veneration complex."
In his findings, Dr McCollough highlights the work of the first-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, which he claims "align logically" with the description of the site. While it's been widely believed that the miracle occurred in the Arab town of Kafr Kanna, Dr McCollough expresses his scepticism regarding this claim.
He said, discussing modern tourism, "When tourists visiting Israel today are taken to Cana, they are taken to Kafr Kanna," Further to this, he critiques the lack of historical precision saying: "However, this site was not recognised as a pilgrimage site for those seeking Cana until the 1700s. At this point the Franciscans were managing Christian pilgrimage and facilitating easy passage rather than historical accuracy."
Adding to the implications of his discovery, Dr McCollough shared his belief the finds at Khirbet Qana could lend credence to the historical validity of the Gospel of John.
He commented on the significance of the location: "Our excavations have shown that this was in fact a thriving Jewish village located in the heart of much of Jesus' life and ministry. For the Gospel of John, Cana is in some ways, Jesus' safe place or operational centre.
"It is a place he and his disciples return to when they encounter resistance in Judea. I would argue our excavations warrant at least a reconsideration of the historical value of John's references to Cana and Jesus."
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