Alberi di benedizione

Gennaio 1999 nel territorio della “Domus Galilaeae”

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Vista prospettica della Domus Galilaeae con il Terebinto

Sommario

Dove Gesù predicò le “beatitudini”? 2

Fonti letterarie 2
La montagna degli alberi di benedizione 4
Situazione attuale 5
Traduzione in Inglese 6
Clemens Kopp: “Die Heiligen Stätten der Evangelien” 10
 Dove Gesù predicò le “beatitudini”?

In tutta la letteratura scritta sui Luoghi Sacri, non si trova mai un accenno a un santuario
(chiesa o cappella) delle Beatitudini; si parla soltanto di una Montagna delle Beatitudini cioè del luogo
dove, si dice per tradizione, sia stato proclamato il Sermone della Montagna (Matteo: 5,1 - 7,27; Luca
6,20 - 26).

Questo, secondo le diverse tradizioni , è un piano elevato che si trova sopra una grotta. La
grotta ("magharet Ayub") e' proprietà dell'Ordine Francescano. L'altura era una volta un cimitero
beduino, abbandonato da più di 50 anni. I Padri Benedettini di Tabgha hanno il tacito permesso della
manutenzione di questo sito sacro. Esso porta anche il nome EREMOS (Egeria). Questa altura
corrisponde ad ambedue le descrizioni dei Vangeli sulle Beatitudini. Secondo Matteo, Gesù salì su una
montagna; secondo Luca, scese dalla montagna su un luogo piano, dove pronunciò il discorso ai
discepoli e al popolo proveniente da varie parti. Un blocco di basalto commemora l'apparizione del
Risorto davanti agli undici apostoli e ai cinquecento fratelli (Mt. 28,16-20; 1 Cor 15,6).

Fonti letterarie

EGERIA (383 - 385 AD.). Le citazioni originali che si riferiscono ai luoghi santi di Cafarnao e
Tabgha, mancano dell' Itinerario di Egeria, ma, si trovano, fortunatamente copiate nella Collezione di
Pietro Diacono, monaco di Montecassino (1137 AD.).
“Juxta Septem Fontes (Heptapegon-Tabgha), in quo campo Dominus de quinque
panibus et duobus piscibus populum siatiavit... Inde in montem, qui iuxta est, est spelunca, in qua
ascendens beatitudines dixit Salvator”

(Enchiridion, D. Baldi, Jerusalem 1982, nr. 412) "Vicino alle Sette Fonti, Nel quale campo il
Signore saziò il popolo con cinque pani e due pesci. Di là verso la montagna, che è là vicina, si trova
una grotta, sulla quale il Salvatore salì e disse le Beatitudini".

Questa antichissima tradizione che risale senza dubbio alle informazioni ricavate da Egeria
(383 AD.) dai giudei-cristiani di Cafarnao, e' considerata come la sola genuina. Coll'andar del tempo,
la localizzazione del posto delle Beatitudini, sembra salire sempre più in alto fino a raggiungere, come
vedremo, la montagna del Alberi Benedetti.

Sul luogo della moltiplicazione fu costruita, verso il 350 A.D., una semplice chiesa. Questa
chiesa fu distrutta (forse da un terremoto?).

La chiesa d'oggi (1982) fu costruita sulle basi di una chiesa bizantina, eretta verso 470 AD. e
che fu distrutta probabilmente durante l'incursione dei Persiani (614 AD.). Col tempo i ruderi furono
coperti da macerie e così il luogo del santuario fu dimenticato.

Molto più tardi, al tempo di Carlo Magno (808 A.D.), abbiamo la notizia dell’esistenza di due
modesti santuari, uno sovrastante le Sette Fonti e un altro vicino al lago. Il santuario in alto fu ritrovato

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durante lo scavo di P. B. Bagatti nel 1935. L'altro, vicino al mare, si chiama oggi Mensa Christi o
Primato di Pietro. Ecco la notizia conservata nell'elenco mandato alla corte di Carlo Magno.

"SUDra mare Tiberiadis monasterium. quod vocatur Heptaoegon. Ubi Dominus sattiavit
popoli su(l quindue panibus et duobus) piscibus quinque milia; ibi sunt monachi decem. ftem iuxta
mare eccfesia. quam vocant duodec (im apostoforum). ubi fui_ Dominus cum discipulis suis; ibi est
mensa. ibi cum iIIis sedit: ibi sunt presbyter unus. elerici duo". Commemoratorium de Casis Dei:
Enchiridion, nr. 405. .

In questo monastero, collocato in alto sul monte, c’era una piccola cappella, e qui si comincia
a commemorare il Miracolo della Moltiplicazione sull'Altura dell'Eremos.

EPIPHANIUS MONACHUS (IX SECOLO) viene da Cafarnao e trova, dopo mille passi, una
pietra con una croce che commemorava la guarigione dell'emoroissa (Marco 5,21 _ 43); dopo altri
mille passi si trova un "kastellion" (monastero fortificato) con una chiesa, "quod dicitur Heptapegon;
quo in foca Christus edidit miraculum quinque panum et duorum piscium" (Enchridion, r. 406).

In un rapporto, detto di S. Elena (X Sec.), si accenna che ai piedi di questo "kastellion" nasceva
una grande fontana, che si chiamava Heptapegon. (Ench. nr. 407).

Durante il Medio Evo il luogo del Sermone della Montagna continua a salire sempre di più sul Monte
delle Beatitudini. Per esempio:

THEODORICUS (1172 A.D.): "Juxta idem mare. non fonge a Tiberiade. mons iIIe est. in
quem videns turbas ascendit, et in quo. saepius sedens et sermocinans ad discipulos et turbas. in ipso
monte pernoctari sofebat. ubi etiam leprosum curare dignatus est" (Enchiridion, nr. 413)

BURCHARDUS DE MONTE SION (1283 A.D.) : "De castro Sephet duas feucas. in
descensu montis contra orientem. ad iactum a mare Galilee, supram viam. quae ducit ad otientem. est
ascensus montis iflius in quam tociens ascendit Christus Jhesus. in quo fecit sermonem iIIum
secundum Matheum (V - VII)".

"In quo saturavit quinque milia hominum de quinque panibus et duobus pscibus. IWc misissa
turba ascendit sofus orare. Fugit in ipsum. cum eum vellent facere regem. Ibi docuitdiscipulos orare.
fn eo erat pernoctans in oratione" (Enchiridion nr. 419,1-2)

Dopo la discesa dunque da Safet Burcardo arrivò ad un luogo con un magnifico panorama. Con
gran ammirazione descrive la vista che si gode da questo monte: di là si vede tutto il Mare di Galilea e
la regione della Traconitide ed Iturea, fino al Libano, l'Hermon e la Terra di Zabulon e Neftali etc.

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 La montagna degli alberi di benedizione

Al tempo dei Crociati fu scritto un Compendio De Situ Urbis Jerusalem (1130 – 1150 A.D.).
L’autore immagina il luogo del Sermone della Montagna nella regione distante un miglio dal posto
della Moltiplicazione (Tabgha):

“Secondo miliario a Capharnaum descensus montis est. in quo sermocinavit ad turbas in quo
et elprosum curavit. Miliario a descensu mo, locus in quo pavit Dominus qiunque milia hominum.
unde focus iIIe mensa vocatur” (Enchiridion, Baldi, nr. 411).

Clemens Kopp, un sacerdote ricercatore che ha vissuto per tanti anni in Terra Santa, è l'autore
di un libro apprezzatissimo sulle diverse tradizioni dei Luoghi Santi. Il titolo tedesco del libro è Die
Heiligen Stratten der Evangelien (Edizione F. Pustet, Regensburg, 1959. Vedi pagg. 263, 265-67).

C. Kopp, che fece uno studio approfondito su tradizioni tardive del luogo delle Beatitudini,
pensa che i due passi citati sopra (De Situ Jerusalem e di Burchardus de Monte Sion) potrebbero
riferirsi a un pendio del Monte delle Beatitudini che i beduini, a suo tempo (ca 1930), chiamarono Deir
Makir, (forse Monastero di Macario).

Alcuni antichissimi alberi che si trovavano là, sono stati chiamati dai beduini Es-sajarat el-
mubarakat (essaggiarat el-mubaracat) = alberi benedetti. Originariamente gli alberi benedetti erano tre,
una quercia, un terebinto e un sider ("sisphus spinae Christi"). Questi alberi, considerati sacri,
godevano di una grande venerazione presso i beduini. Ormai e' rimasto il solo terebinto sul pendio
orientale della montagna. I beduini raccontano che nel 1913 un beduino purtroppo ebbe l'audacia
d'abbattere due di essi. Egli subì una morte improvvisa "castigo di Allah", dissero i beduini. L'autore
Kopp dice che, nell'opinione dei beduini, questo luogo con questi alberi, fu benedetto dal Messia Issa
(Gesù). I beduini credono che le muraglie ciclopiche siano resti del Deir Makir. Però, finora, nessuna
traccia di un monastero è stata trovata. Sappiamo che nell’antichità si trovavano in quei dintorni
monaci eremiti. Forse la tradizione beduina e' un ricordo di questo fatto.

Prima di C. Kopp c’erano già altri autori che narravano di questa tradizione locale, per esempio
P. Bemabe Meistermann O., F.M. nella sua Guide de Terre Sainte (Paris, 111. Ed. Pago 590) e P. Uevin
de Hamme in Guide Indicateur-de/a Terre-Sainte (Jerusalem 1897, pag. 174).

Fino all'occupazione della regione da parte degli Ebrei, il terreno apparteneva alla tribù beduina
dei Semacchie che, ogni tanto, si accampava in questo luogo e seminava grano in alcune zone. Già ai
tempi di Gesù questa regione era deserta e solitaria ed era ideale per chi cercava ritiro, solitudine o
riposo.

Situazione presente

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 A causa di questa tradizione, la Custodia Francescana della Terra Santa , interessata, acquistò la
proprietà. NeI 1998, 1'organizzazione cattolica del NEOCATECUMENATO segnò un contratto con la
Custodia per l'utilizzazione della loro proprietà nella regione degli Alberi di Benedizione al fine di
costruire, proprio in quel luogo, un Centro di Studio e Preghiera per le loro comunità. In presenza degli
iniziatori della Cammino Neocatecumenale, Kiko, Carmen e P. Mario e di ospiti e pellegrini venuti da
tutto il mondo, Sua Beatitudine il Patriarca Michel Sabbah presiedette alla benedizione della Prima
Pietra per il Centro Internazionale DOMUS GALlLAEAE il 15 gennaio 1999, alle ore 10.30.

AD MUL TOS ANNOS!!

P. Bargil Pixner O.S.B.

Abbazia Hagia Maia Sion
Jerusalem

Trees of beatitudes

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 January 1999 in the territory of “Domus Galilaeae”
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Where did Jesus preach the “beatitudes”?

In all of the literature concerning the holy places we never find mention of a sanctuary (church
or chapel) of the Beatitudes; it is only spoken of a mountain of the Beatitudes, that is, of the
traditional place of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew: 5, 1-7,27; Luke 6, 20-26).
The preferred place according to different traditions is on a high elevated surface (plain), found above
a grotto. The grotto (“magharet Ayub) belongs to the Franciscan Order. The hill was once a bedouins’
cemetery, being abandoned for more than 50 years. The Benedictine Fathers of Tabgha have the tacit
assignment (promise) of the support (maintenance) of this holy place. It is also called “Eremos”
(Egeria). This hill corresponds to both descriptions from the Gospels about the Beatitudes. According
to Matthew, Jesus went up the hill; according to Luke, came down from the hill to level ground, where
he pronounced his sermon to his disciples gathered around him and to the people gathered there from
all over. There is a block of basalt that commemorates the apparition of the Risen Lord in before the
eleven apostles and the five hundred brothers (Mt. 28, 16-20; 1Cor. 15, 16).

Literary sources

EGERIA (383-385 A.D.). The original quotations referring to the holy places of Capernaum
and Tabgha, are missing in “The Itinerary” of Egeria, but are fortunately found copied in the
“Collection” of deacon Peter, monk of Mount Casino (1137 A.D.).
“Juxta Septem Fontes..,in quo campo Dominus de quinque panibus et duobus piscibus populum
siaciavit... Inde in montem, qui iuxta est, est spelunca, in qua ascendens beatitudines dixit Salvator”
“Near the Seven Fountains (Heptapegon-Tabgha)…, in that field where the Lord satisfied the people
with five loaves of bread and two fishes… From this place towards the hill that is close by, there a
grotto is found, where the Savior went up and pronounced the Beatitudes.
This ancient tradition, that dates back to the information collected by Egeria (383 A.D.) from Judeo
Christians of Capernaum, is considered the only genuine one. With the passing of time, the location of
the site of the Beatitudes seems always to go up higher until arriving, as we shall see, to the mount of
the Blessed Trees.
On the place of the multiplication, there was already a little church built around 350 A.D.. This church
was destroyed (by an earthquake?).
The present church (1982) was built on the base of a Byzantine church, erected around 470
A.D. and that was probably destroyed during the incursion (attack) of the Persians (614 A.D.). With
the passing of time, the ruins were covered with debris and the place of the sanctuary was forgotten.

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Much later, in the time of Charles the Great (808 A.D.) we have the news of two small sanctuaries, one
that is on the top of the Seven Fountains and another one near the lake. The sanctuary on the top was
found during the excavations of P. B. Bagatti in 1935. The other one near the lake is called today
Mensa Christi or Primacy of Peter.

This is the news kept in the list sent to the Court of Charles the Great: “Supra mare Tiberiadis
monasterium, quod vocatur Heptapegon, ubi Dominus sattiavit popoli su ( i quindue panibus e
duobus) piscibus quinque milia; ibi sunt monachi decem. Item iuxta mare ecclesia, quam vocant
duodec (im apostolorum), ubi fuit Dominus cum discipulis suis; ibi est mensa, ibi cum illis sedit: ibi
sunt presbyter unus, clerici duo”.
Commemoratorium de Casis Dei: Enchiridion, nr. 405.
With this monastery on the top, that had a little chapel, starts the commemoration of the miracle of the
multiplication, on the top of the hill Eremos.

EPIPHANIUS MONACUS (IX century) He comes from Capernaum and after two thousands
steps, finds a stone with a cross that commemorated the cure of the woman with a hemorrhage (Mk. 5,
21-43); after another thousand steps he finds one “Kastellion” (a fortified monastery) with a church,
“quod dicitur Heptapegon; quo in loco Christus edidit miraculum quinque panum et duorum piscium”
(Enchiridion, r. 406).

In a report, made by S. Elena (X century), she accentuates that at the feet of this “Kastellion”
sprang a big fountain, that was called Heptapegon. (Ench. Nr. 407)
During the Middle Ages the place of the Sermon on the Mount continues to go on more up the Mount
of Beatitudes. For example:

THEODORICUS (1172 A.D.): “Juxta idem marem, non longe Tiberiade, mons ille est, in
quem videns turbas ascendit, et in quo, saepius sedens et sermocinans ad discipulos et turbas, in ipso
monte pernoctari solebat, ubi etiam leprosum curare dignatus est” (Ench, nr. 414)

BURCHARDUS OH THE MOUNT ZION (1283 A.D.): “De castro Sephet duas leucas, in
descensu montis contra orientem, ad iactum a mare Galilee, supram viam, quae ducit ad orientem, est
ascensus montis illius in quam tociens ascendit Christus Jhesus, in quo fecit sermonem illum
secundum Matheum (V-VI)”.

“In quo saturavit quinque milia hominum de quinque panibus e duobus piscibus. Illic misissa
turba ascendit solus orare. Fugit in ipsum, cum eum vellent facere fegem. Ibi docuit discipulos orare.
In eo erat pernoctans in oratione” (Ench. Nr. 419, 1-2)
And so after the descent from Safet, Bucardo arrived to a place with a magnificent landscape. He
describes amazed the view that one can enjoy from this mount: from there you can see all of The Sea
of Galilee and the region of Traconitide and Iturea, until Lebanon, Hermon and the land of Zebulon
and Naphtali, etc.
The mount of the blessed trees

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 In the time of the Crusades a summary was written “De Situ Urbis Jerusalem” (1130-1150
A.D.). The author imagines the place of the Sermon on the Mount one mile from the place of the
Multiplication (Tabgha):

“Secundo miliario a Capharnaum descensus montis est, in quo sermocinavit ad turbas, in quo
et leprosum curavit. Miliario a descensu illo, locus in quo pavit Dominus quinque milia hominum,
unde locus ille mensa vocatur”.

Clemens Kopp, a researcher priest, which has lived for many years in the Holy Land, is the
author of a valuable book on the Holy places’ different traditions. The original German title is: “Die
Heiligen Stätten der Evangelien” (F. Pustet Publisher, Regensburg, 1959. See pages 263, 265-67.
Translation pag. 4). C. Kopp, who made a serious study about the late traditions of the place of the
Beatitudes, thinks that the two last passages cited (De Situ Jerusalem and Buchardus of mount Zion),
could refer to a slope of the Mount of Beatitudes, that bedouins on his time called Deir Makir (perhaps
the monastery of Macarius). Some ancient trees that are found there have been called by Bedouins
“Es-sajarat el-mubarakat (essaggiarat el-mubaracat)” = Blessed trees. Originally the blessed trees
were three, one oak, one terebinth, and one cedar (“sisphus spinae Christi”). These trees, considered
sacred, were venerated by the Bedouins. By now the only one that remains is the terebinth, on the
western slope. The Bedouins say that in 1913 a Bedouin, had unfortunately cut two of them. He has
suffered an unforeseen death “punishment of Ala”, like they say. The author Kopp says, that in the
opinion of Bedouins this place with these trees was blessed by Messia Issa (Jesus). Bedouins believe
that the giant walls are the ruins of Deir Makir. But until now, no sign of the monastery has been
found. However, in antiquity we find in the surroundings eremitic monks. Perhaps, the Bedouin’s
tradition is a remembrance of this.

Before C. Kopp, there were already other authors that spoke about these local traditions, for
example: P. Bernabe O.F.M. in his “Guide de Terre Sainte” (Paris, III. Ed. Pag. 590) e P. Lievin de
Hamme in his “Guide Indicateur dela Terre Sainte” (Jerusalem 1897, pag. 174).
Until the Hebrew occupation of this region, the land belonged to the Bedouin’s tribe of Semacchie, that
from time to time camped in this place and sowed the grain in some zones. Already in Jesus’ time this
region was desert and isolated, and was ideal for whom ever was looking to get away, solitude and rest.

Present situation

Due to this tradition the Franciscan Custodian of The Holy Land was interested in this region
and acquired the property. In the 1998 the catholic organization of The Neocatechumenal Way made a
contract with the Custodian for the use of the property in the region of the blessed trees in order to

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build there a Center of Study and Prayer for their communities. In the presence of the Initiators of The
Neocatechumenal Way: Kiko, Carmen and Rvd. Mario, and guests, and pilgrims coming from all over
the world. The Patriarch Michel Sabbath will preside the blessing of the first stone of the International
Center DOMUS GALILAE the 15 January of 1999, at 10:30.

AD MULTOS ANNOS!!

RVD. BARGIL PIXNER O.S.B.

ABBAZIA SANTA MARIA
SION JERUSALEM

Clemens Kopp: “Die Heiligen Stätten der Evangelien”, 1959, Friedrich Pustet, Regensburg
(page:263, 265-267)

The site of the sermon on the mount and the multiplication of the loaves of bread in the time of the
crusaders

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(2. The tradition of the crusaders)

However this localization, which Egeria already found, never got lost. De situ urbis Jerusalem
(1130/50) reports as the oldest witness of the abridged edition (compendio): “2 miles away from
Capernaum is the descent of the mountain (descensus montis), on which he preached to the crowds and
cured the lepers (i lebrosi). One mile away from this descent is the place where he nourished 5000
people”. The abridged edition finds the multiplication of the loaves of bread down at the
“Heptapegon”, so we have to suppose, also that the information about the Sermon on the Mount goes
back to the Byzantine. So the place was 1 mile away from the multiplication of the loaves of bread at
the “Heptapegon”, but 2 miles away from Capernaum. If you draw a line from these 2 spots upwards a
triangle appears whose tip is in the region of the “blessed trees” (es-sadscharat el-mubarakat). The
cordillera closes towards north-west a wide basin which turns to the wadi el-dschamus in the south.
This wadi is the plain at the “Heptapegon” before it ends in the lake. From the church of the
multiplication of the loaves of bread one has a free view through this wadi up to the cordillera which
is 2,5 km away from here and which is 250 meters above the lake’s level. In a straight line as the crow
flies the cordillera is about 4 km away from Capernaum, so the information of the abridged edition can
be correct.
In the past there were 2 Terebinths and 1 “Cedar” which were seen as holy and the people worshiped
them often. Only one of the terebinths remained at the eastern slope, the other one was chopped by a
Bedouin in 1913. The people thought that he died very early because of this sin. “To the inhabitants of
this region the site of the trees has the worth of a monastery and a church. The Bedouins themselves
call the locality always es-sadscharat el-mubarakat. Maybe this is a local tradition, which can be old,
kept by the inhabitants of this region. The name means: the Messiah blessed these trees.” Cyclopean
walls there are called Deir (monastery) Makir. Makir “is maybe connected with ... (Jewish letters, you
can find them in the original book on page 263); that means: place of beatitudes.” But you can’t find
ruins of a church or a monastery, you can only find rests of settlements from the prehistoric time.
The region was owned by Bedouins from the semakije tribe which camped sometimes in this region
until Galilee was conquered by the Jews. Also in the time of Jesus this was a very solitary place and
from Capernaum or the “Heptapegon” you could reach this place quickly to get away from the daily
noise.
… (Page 264)
This topographical information corresponds to the region of the blessed trees, but the high elevation in
the northeast of the “Heptapegon” doesn’t correspond to this information. Because:
1. He (Burchard, on page 264) starts at Safed and touches the Via Maris, “the street which leads to
the east”. Towards this street the mountain which is in the northwest of the line “Heptapegon”-
Capernaum abruptly declines. If you look up to the cordillera from the direction Safed-Via Maris, the
biblical place can be found in the expression: “At the mountain’s descent towards the east.” However
if you are at the lake you can say: “Near the Sea of Galilee…is the mountain’s ascent.” So it is a whole
cordillera whose last part ends near the lake. Why fix the spot so intricately, from the direction of
Safed, when he meant the hill at the “Heptapegon”? Didn’t he take this “source of Capernaum” as the
axis?
2. The Sermon on the Mount and the multiplication of the loaves of bread are two different sites like
Thetmar, because, according to Lk 6, 17, also here the Sermon on the Mount takes place on a “plane
site”. Then there appears a third higher spot where Jesus taught his disciples and “during the night
prayed”. This night of prayer is according to Lk 6, 12 the beginning of the election of the apostles,
which also has to be in this region. How do you want to connect these two, independent from each

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other, events on the small hill at the “Heptapegon”? Moreover there is the street leading to Capernaum
with its traffic and noise. So where is the solitude, which is particularly pointed out?
3. The vast view, described with obvious enthusiasm, can only be enjoyed on the heights at the
blessed trees. Only at this spot you have a free view in every direction, you can see the whole
Genesaret lake and in the south the Jordan. However down at the hill the view is totally cut by the
higher heights in the north, highly handicapped to the west, so that for example the “chan dschubb
jusuf,” mistakenly considered “Dothain” is covered by the cordillera.
4. Also the measurements fit to the mountain of the blessed trees. If you look from the “Heptapegon”
upwards, you can see the height of this mountain as a sharp line on the horizon. The information about
its measurements can be enlarged. Burchard didn’t measure with a measuring tape, as the “or more”
proves. What he wants to say is that this mountain stands isolated and is longer than wider in the
region.

Already Egeria stood on this mountain and enjoyed the free view, which calls to mind the synagogue
of Corazin. But neither she or the abridged edition or other pilgrims marked this place which lies in the
heights exactly. Neither did Burchard. However very strong reason makes it reasonable that the
Sermon on the Mount was at the blessed trees. The Bedouin’s Deir (monastery) Makir brought the
memory of this holy place of the Christians up to the new age. Moreover this place fits perfectly in the
gospels. It is a quiet place but you can easily reach it through the “wadi ed dschamus” from the street
along the lake. The height goes slowly down to this wadi, so there are “plane trails” there been spaces
for crowds of people. Burchard first mentions the Sermon on the Mount and then the multiplication of
the loaves of bread. Did he think that they were at different places?
It seems so because he names afterwards the site of the multiplication of the loaves of bread in another,
higher and lonelier spot. He characterizes the position of the Sermon on the Mount as the “plane trails”
by Lk. 6, 17, so this spot has to be at the lowest point. Because he recognizes explicitly that Jesus
“stood” during the Sermon on the Mount, his holy stones belong to the place of the Multiplication of
the loaves of bread too. They should localize John 6, 3: “Jesus walked on the mountain and sat down
with his disciples.” Where was this spot on the mountain? If the Beatitudes had been at the ‘blessed
trees’, the site had to be in a higher place. From the Terebinth, which remains there, one has to go
about 15 minutes, passing a trough, to reach the highest point. You localize probably the Multiplication
of the loaves of bread in this trough and one places some rocks around as seats for Jesus and his
disciples. On top of the elevation where the mountain declines abruptly towards the street to Safed that
could be the spot where Jesus took refuge into solitude and where he spent nights praying and where
he taught the disciples.

(3. The late tradition)

Immediately after the crusader’s collapse, the evidence of Ricoldus (1294) testifies that the above-
mentioned interpretation of Burchard is correct. He starts in Bethsaida (el minje). “From there we went
up 3 miles on the mountain, which is above the Galilean sea, where the lord sat and made a homily to
his disciples. And we sang the gospel: ‘As Jesus saw the crowds he went up on the mountain.’ From
there we went on the mountain where the Lord prepared the feast with five pieces of bread.” These 3
miles are exactly the distance between el-minje (Bethsaida) and the “blessed trees”. Here you can see
clearer than Thetmar and Burchard that the Multiplication of the loaves of bread had its place above
the Sermon on the Mount. From the site he mentions ‘chan dschubb jusuf” and Safed. Then he goes to
Capernaum, probably on the way that goes from this chan over the mountain. From this town he
moves southward along the lake without mentioning the Beatitudes or the miracle of the bread at the

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“Heptapegon”. So also in his way he makes sure that he found the 2 biblical spots on top of the
mountain.
Jacob of Verona (1335) uses Burchard as a tour guide. He comes from Safed leaves the street at “Chan
Dschubb Jusuf” and climbs “with his companions on the holiest mountain” and it was his biggest wish
to visit this mountain. Then immediately he stops the personal note. However by an almost literal
repetition this report verifies the testimony of Burchard. In one issue he makes it very clear. The seats
and the “table of the Lord” were on the terrain of the Multiplication of the loaves of bread.
In the following time the average pilgrim attempted only to go to Jerusalem and the region around it.
The lake is rarely visited and Tiberius if only was visited. Fabri (1480/83) for example wasn’t able to
travel from Jerusalem to Galilee because of the insecurity. So his wish “to see the mountain of Christ’s
teachings and the mountain where he gave the crowds to eat” was unfulfilled. Other pilgrims who were
able to visit Galilee saw there wish fulfilled because for them the site of the Sermon on the Mount and
the Multiplication of the loaves of bread was excluded from what was considered the danger zone.

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