Page 44 - Holyland Magazine - 2018 Edition

Cana tasted the water which had become wine,
and did not know where it came from (but
Site of Jesus' first the servants who had drawn the water knew),
miracle The nations are returning to Israel’s capital, the headwaiter called the bridegroom, and
said to him, “Every man serves the good
the spiritual heart of the Jewish people wine first, and when the people have drunk
freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but
you have kept the good wine until now.” This
beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of
Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His
disciples believed in Him. (John 2:1-11)

This is an account of Jesus’ first miracle,
and since that time, the village of Cana has
become forever linked with marriage and, to
some degree, wine. Today, groups traveling
through the Galilee almost always stop in Cana
because, more than just sightseeing, Cana
offers the visitor an opportunity to participate

The Franciscan Wedding Church. Photo: Jim Roark

Nick Mancino

The area around the Sea of Galilee is
rich in biblical sites. One site no visitor
should miss is Cana. Also known as
Kfar Kanna and only a few miles north of
Nazareth, this is the region where Jesus
grew up and spent his early ministry. Cana is a
small village that is famous as the site of Jesus’
first miracle. It is also known as the birthplace
of one of the early Apostles, Nathaniel, whom
some scholars link with Bartholomew, one of
the twelve Disciples of Christ. However, it is
not necessarily St. Bartholomew who draws
over 200,000 pilgrims to Cana each year; it all
has to do with a marriage ceremony.

In the fourth Gospel, the Apostle John records
the events that have come to be known as The
Miracle at Cana:
On the third day there was a wedding in
Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus
was there; and both Jesus and His disciples
were invited to the wedding. When the wine
ran out, Mary mother of Jesus said to Him,
“They have no wine.” and Jesus said to her,
“Woman, what does that have to do with
us? My hour has not yet come.” Mary, His
mother said to the servants, “Whatever He
says to you, do it.” Now there were six stone
water pots set there for the Jewish custom
of purification, containing twenty or thirty
gallons each. Jesus said to them, “Fill the
water pots with water.” So they filled them
up to the brim, and He said to them, “Draw
some out now and take it to the headwaiter.”
So they took it to him. When the headwaiter

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