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Sacred Heart Church
Holy Land Pilgrimage 2008
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Prepared by Fr.
Mike Ohanete |
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Research assisted
by Shirley Dickin
October, 2008 |
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Sea of Galilee
Fr. Mike overlooks
the place where Jesus traveled frequently by boat, the Sea of
Galilee.
 During
his ministry Jesus
also performed some miracles here, including walking on water,
calming the storm and making the miraculous catch of fish.
"Jesus crossed to
the far
shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and
a great crowd of people followed him." (Jn 6:1-2) "When they had
rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus
approaching the boat, walking on the water." (Jn 6:19) |
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 Galilee
Boat
In 1986, an ancient boat was pulled from the mud along the
northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was a unique and
exciting find that gives us an idea of the sort of boat used
during the time of Jesus.
The boat appeared due to a great drought during which the waters
of the lake receded and was discovered by the brothers Moshe and
Yuval Lufan, second-generation fishermen from Kibbutz Ginosar.
The brothers reported that when they found the boat, a double
rainbow appeared in the sky.
The subsequent archaeological dig was undertaken by members of
the Kibbutz Ginosar, the Antiquities Authority, and many
volunteers. Pulling the boat from the mud without damaging it —
yet quickly enough to extract it before the water rose again —
was a delicate process, lasting 12 days and nights. The boat
then had to be submerged in a chemical bath for 7 years before
it could be displayed.
The boat has been dated to the 1st century AD based on pottery
and nails found in association with the boat, radiocarbon
dating, and hull construction techniques. Evidence of repeated
repairs indicates the boat was used for several decades, perhaps
nearly a century. When it was considered beyond repair, all
useful wooden parts were removed and the remaining hull sunk to
the bottom of the lake.
The Galilee Boat is apparently the type of boat that was used on
the Sea of Galilee for both fishing and transportation across
the lake. It is likely that this sort of boat was used by Jesus
and his disciples, many of whom were fishermen. Boats played a
large role in Jesus life and ministry — they are mentioned 50
times in the Gospels!
There is no evidence connecting the boat to Jesus or his
disciples, but it is certainly tantalizing to think that Jesus
may have seen the boat sail by out on the Sea of Galilee — or
even used it himself. But regardless of its history, the "Jesus
boat" is a fascinating artifact that brings to life many of the
Gospel accounts. |
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Replica of a
Galilee Boat (Jesus Boat)
Fr. Mike is seen taking a ride on a replica of the ancient boat
of the type that Jesus would have used to cross the Sea of
Galilee.
 The
boat is made of 12 different types of wood and measures 25.5 ft.
(8.2 m) long, 7.5 ft. (2.3 m) wide, and 4.1 ft (1.25 m) high. It
would have had a crew of five (four rowers and a helmsman) and
could carry about 15 additional persons. This seems like a lot
for such a humble boat, but men were smaller 2,000 years ago —
about 5'5" and 140 pounds. |
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