The site where Jesus performed his miracles may have ben found (Image: Getty)
Archaeologists excavating along the banks of the Sea of Galilee believe they may have uncovered the long-lost biblical settlement of Bethsaida, a village intimately connected in the New Testament to several of Jesus’ reported miracles.
The fishing community on the northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee served as a pivotal location for Jesus’ ministry, acting as the backdrop for numerous miracles and healings, amongst them the restoration of sight to a blind man.
In the New Testament, the site is described as the birthplace of apostles Peter, Andrew, and Philip.
Following years of extensive fieldwork, archaeologists have reported a series of discoveries that appear to link the site to the biblical town.
These comprise the remains of a Byzantine-era church, fragments of a first-century dwelling beneath its foundations, Roman-period fishing equipment, and a mosaic inscription referencing Saint Peter as a prominent figure amongst the apostles.
The dig has made an incredible discovery (Image: Museum of the Bible)
Academic Director of the El Araj Excavation Project, Steven Notley, stated that the evidence has grown increasingly persuasive, contending that the discoveries collectively identify El-Araj as Bethsaida, a location long disputed amongst scholars.
During a lecture at the Catholic Information Center in Washington DC on May 5, he explained years of work at El-Araj, a project that started in 2016, have now “essentially confirmed” the identification of the site as Bethsaida, the lakeside town referenced on numerous occasions throughout the New Testament.
Among the most remarkable findings is a house wall dating back to the first century, uncovered beneath the apse of a later church structure.
Mr Notley told EWTN News: “So, we have a first-century house wall under the apse. It doesnt have a plaque on it that says ‘Peter slept here,’ but from a perspective of archaeology, it doesnt get much better than that.”
In 2025, a wildfire tore through the region, unexpectedly stripping away dense vegetation and revealing additional stonework, pottery fragments, and buried architectural features. These discoveries lent further weight to the identification of the site.
According to the Gospels, it was the location of the miraculous Feeding of the 5,000, the walking on water, and a remarkable two-stage healing of a blind man.
While Bethsaida is believed to have been situated on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, its precise location remains a matter of debate. Since the 19th century, scholars have put forward three principal candidates: Messadiye, El-Araj, and et-Tell.
Over time, El-Araj and et-Tell have attracted the greatest support, though disagreements persist owing to conflicting interpretations of the archaeological evidence.
