Feb. 14, Tuesday: Mt. Tabor – Cana – Nazareth
Drive to Cana of Galilee to visit the wedding Church, where Jesus performed the first of his signs, changing water to wine. Possibility of renewing Wedding Vows.
Continue drive to Nazareth and visit the Basilica of the Annunciation starting with the Grotto of the Annunciation and the Church then we will visit the house of the Holy Family underneath the Church of St. Joseph. (Divine Liturgy will be held at the Annunciation Church). Lunch at Holy Land Restaurant in Nazareth. In the afternoon we will drive to Mount Tabor, the Mount of Transfiguration and visit the beautiful Basilica and the rock under the altar where the Transfiguration took place.
At every Byzantine wedding, the Gospel account of the Lord’s first sign, the changing of water to wine is proclaimed. Following the creation story of John 1, where we are introduced to “The Word” who is present at the beginning and through whom all all creation comes into existence, we see “the woman,” the New Eve, Mary, the Mother of God tell her Son that the young couple has run out of wine at the wedding. What follows is the Lord’s first Sign- the changing of water to wine. From the waters of the ritual purification in the stone jars, the Lord brings forth New Life. This wedding will be blessed in a special way with children of God, disciples “who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:13) Through this Sign at a wedding in Cana of Galilee the New Adam and the New Eve will bring new spiritual children to the Lord:
This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him. John 2:12
This is a first century stone water jar which would have been used for ritual purification. Our Lord turned the water in six of these “filled to the brim” into wine for this couple and their guests. That’s a lot of wine. It’s a lot of Life.
We too are these children, children of His covenant and promise, and so we concluded our stay in Cana through renewing our wedding vows, for those couples present, as well as our vows of friendship to Christ.
