After a decade of meticulous excavation, archaeologists are now “100%” certain they have identified El-Araj as the lost city of Bethsaida, a pivotal location in Jesus Christ’s ministry where numerous miracles, including the healing of a blind man and the feeding of the 5,000, are recorded in the Gospels. Located near Jesus’ ministry hub of Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee, Bethsaida was also the home of prominent apostles Peter, Andrew, and Philip. The El-Araj Excavation Project, led by Mordechai Aviam and academic director Steven Notley, has unearthed extensive evidence of both an ancient Jewish fishing settlement and a Roman-era city, fulfilling expectations of what Bethsaida should reveal. This evidence includes thousands of lead fishing weights, Jewish stone vessels, a Roman bathhouse, and a significant Byzantine basilica. A wildfire last year unexpectedly aided the project by clearing underbrush, revealing the settlement’s true size of at least 15 acres. Crucially, the basilica contained an inscription referencing “the Chief of the Apostles and the Keeper of the Keys of Heaven,” strongly linking it to Peter. While direct proof of Peter’s home remains elusive, the cumulative evidence, with no findings contradicting the identification and each season strengthening the case, has convinced researchers that El-Araj is indeed Bethsaida, a site of immense importance to early Christianity and Jesus’s life.
Adapted from: Travel News Today on Fox News
