On the northwest corner of the Sea of the Galilee is a verdant strip of land in stark contrast with the rocky hills above. When you approach this terrestrial paradise, it seems that all of the serenity and beauty in the world is concentrated in this spot. When you approach this natural beauty spot, a sense of exaltation and excitement grips you. The white stone walls, the red domes, the mulberry trees surrounding the great stone table, and the wharf trailing into the water seem to have been transported to the shores of the Kinneret straight from the Aegean Sea. Throw in the robed monk walking in the trails of the fruit orchard, beaming as if blessed by a visitation by the Spirit of Jesus himself, and you can appreciate the mystical feeling that grips many Christian Pilgrims to the site.
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The Church is dedicated to the twelve apostles selected by Jesus in the nearby Kefar Nahum (Mathew 4:19- “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”). In the early years of the State of Israel, it was abandoned and derelict, often subject to Syrian artillery from the Golan Heights. However, following the expulsion of the Syrian Artillery from the Golan Heights in 1967 the monk Ari Narcus arrived to restore the site.
The light penetrating the church from the multicolored windows falls upon unique wall and ceiling paintings, the work of Greek Artists called upon to aid Ari Narcus in his restoration. There are many quiet sitting corners, shaded by the long vines of the grape, and sumptuous peacocks promenade across the orchard- all in serene silence occasionally punctuated by the church bells.