Taghba, the Church of the Multiplication

This is the site tradition says where the multiplication of the loaves and fish took place. It is also the village where the Jesus' 4th resurrection appearance occurred (see the Church of the Primacy post).
The 1st chapel here dates to the 4th century and was built by Joseph of Tiberias, a member of the Sanhedrin who converted and was given authority to build churches in the Galilee by Constantine. It was dismantled and rebuilt several times over the centuries. The current building dates to the late 20th century.
The 1st picture looks out from the cloister in front of the church into the central courtyard. The 2nd picture is the nave of the church. Notice the altar and the icons to either side. Close-ups of the icons are in pictures 3 and 4. The 5th picture is a close-up of the altar. There is a bare rock beneath the altar table. This rock is the traditional site where Jesus blessed the loaves and fish.
The last picture is an interesting mosaic. It is essentially a Nile River mosaic that dates to the 5th century. It is thought that the 2nd church here was built by Matyrius, Patriarch of Jerusalem at the time. Matyrius was originally from Egypt, and this was a favorite motif in Byzantine art of the time.Read more