Bethsaida

Bethsaida was an ancient fishing village on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee in the historical region of Gaulanitis, best known as the hometown of the apostles Peter, Andrew, and Philip. The New Testament places it at the center of Jesus's ministry: the Gospels record several miracles performed here, including the healing of a blind man, while the Gospel of Matthew has Jesus reproaching the town for its failure to repent despite witnessing so many signs. Early Church Fathers Chrysostom and Jerome, writing around 400 CE, further identified James and John as Bethsaida natives. Today the site is an active archaeological dig where excavations have uncovered Iron Age and Hellenistic-Roman remains, offering a layered encounter with biblical history for pilgrims and scholars alike.