The Miracle at Cana

When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, and said to him, “Every man serves the good 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, with wine. Today, groups traveling through the Galilee, often visit Capernaum, Magdala, and Nazareth. They almost always stop in Cana because, more than just sightseeing, Cana offers the visitor an opportunity to participate as well. Couples, especially those who have been married for a long period of time, often look to renew their vows. What better place in the world to renew their wedding vows than here, the site of Jesus’ first miracle, The Wedding in Cana. Of course, the private dwellings where the family wedding took place have long been covered by time. Not all archaeologists agree on the exact site where the event occurred. History tells us that a church was built in Cana by Empress Helena (mother of Christian convert, Emperor Constantine) in the 4^th Century, and this was identified with the ruins of a large building found by travelers to Kfar Kanna in the 17^th Century. Today, on this site, you will find the Franciscan Wedding Church.

Today, the center of this Arab village of Kafr Kanna (Cana) has been renovated with a promenade and small plazas. Inthe town, you will find a number of shops that sell souvenirs of Cana. Some even carry local wine with labels indicating that the bottles came from Cana. These souvenirs will no doubt end up being a small reminder of the spiritual experience of Cana. As another visitor to the Holy Land wrote, “It is a good and important stop. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience it.”

Each jar would have been filled with 20-30 gallons of water that would have been used by the wedding guests for ritual washing of the hands before the meal. Extensive renovations of the church in the 1990s allowed for contemporary archaeological research. Excavations in and around the church have unearthed the remains of three levels of buildings beneath the present structure: a 14^th century building of the Middle Ages, a Jewish synagogue from the 5^th century, and the ruins of private dwellings from the 1^st-4^th centuries.

For many couples, having a wedding or renewal of vows in the Franciscan Wedding Church is a highlight of their time in the Holy Land. One woman from South Carolina wrote about her recent trip. She and her husband renewed their vows along with five other couples. “Who would have thought,” she said, “that we would be blessed to be in the place of the first miracle, and after 52 years of marriage, that too is a miracle.”

Near the Wedding Church is another, the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George (also known as the Greek Orthodox Church of the Wedding Feast.) Built in 1886, it is a large structure with clock and bell towers, and surrounded by a spacious courtyard with trees, flowers, an ornate water fountain, and most importantly, benches where you can sit and enjoy the tranquility of the spot. Nearby, you will see a third, small chapel built by the Franciscans and dedicated to St. Bartholomew.