Heptapegon - Mensa Domini; The Primacy of Peter - The Primacy of Peter.

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Church Name, type, function

Site Name:

Heptapegon - Mensa Domini; The Primacy of Peter

Identification:

Heptapegon in Greek, Et-Tabgha in Arabic, 'En Shev'a and 'Ein Ha-Shiv'ah in Hebrew; all derive from the seven springs in the area. Chapel is also known as: Primatus Petri, Mensa Christi or Mensa Domini (named after the Scared Table), and Twelve thrones (name given in the commemoratoriom de casis Dei), built on the traditional site of the appearance of the risen Christ to the Apostles, where He conferred the Primacy on Simon Peter.

Church name:

The Primacy of Peter.

Functional Type:

Memorial

Church type:

Chapel

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

251.81

753.08

Coordinates, ICS system:

201.81

1,253.10

Location:

Rural

Geographical region:

Sea of Galilee

Topographical location:

Built on the shore line of the sea of Galilee

Distance from nearest settlement:

2 miles south-west of Capharnaum.

Distance from Roman roads:

About 300 m. from the road to Capharnaum.

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina II

Bishopric:

Tiberias

Source of knowledge

HideLiterary sources

Text number	Summary
1	Description of the church altar made out of the rock of the Mensa Domini at the place of the Feeding of the five thousand at Seven Springs, presumably from a passage lost in the MS of Egeria's itinerary of AD 381-384, as recorded in a guidebook compiled 1137.
2	Mention of the Twelve Thrones where Christ taught and fed the four thousand near the city of Tiberias, from a life dated to the 7th cent. or later.
3	Mention of the monastery of Heptapegon and of the church of the Twelve Thrones by the sea of Tiberias containing the Mensa Domini, from an official report ordered in AD 808.
4	Mention of the church on the shore of the sea of Tiberias where Christ appeared after the Resurrection, from an 8th cent. guidebook for pilgrims.
5	Theodosius (TS 2), Cyril of Scythopolis (Vita Sabae 24) and the Piacenza Pilgrim (AP 9), who visited and prayed at Heptapegon viz. the place of the Multiplication, make no mention of any church there, though archaeological evidence makes it clear that at least one church must surely had been there on the site of the present-day Church of the Multiplication.

Archaeological remains

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Franciscans	1933
Loffreda, S. and Bagatti, b.	1968

Bibliograpy:

Bagatti, B. and Loffreda, S., 1968

Loffreda, S., 1968

Bagatti, B. and Loffreda, S., 1968

Ovadiah, A. and De Silva, C. G., 1981

Avi-Yonah, M. and Negev, A., 1993

Schick, R., 1995

Barkay, G. and Shiler, E., 1999

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

Only part of the northern and southern walls remain, therefore it is impossible to reconstruct the plan of the original building. The three walls of the chapel that are preserved belong to the second phase, 7x12m in dimensions, but at the absence of an apse, one cannot be absolutely sure that they belonged to a chapel.

Description

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

Primay of Peter, rock of mensa Domini (Christi) ((http://www.israelandyou.com/church-of-the-primacy-of-st-peter/))

Figures

Façade and entries:

A sinle entrance on the western wall.

Lateral walls:

Partially preserved.

Nave:

A natural rock in front of the reconstructed apse is interpreted as mensa Domini.

Bema, chancel screen and apse:

The location of the apse is conjectural (see under Cult of Relics).

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Pottery	contains pottery from the fourth century.

Detailed description

Structure

Orientation:

Facing east

Materials applied (walls):

Basalt

Cult of relics

Cult of relics loci:

elsewhere

Reliquiaries: shapes and contents:

The natural rock, referred to as ‎‎"Mensa Domini" (the Lord's table), is shown in front of the altar. South of the present church are steps assumed to be the place where the ‎risen Christ appeared to seven of his disciples (John 21: 1-14). Both sites are mentioned by Egeria (apud Petrus Diaconus V, 2-3). In addition there are six heart shaped stones ‎located south of the church (that seems to have carried a jetty), placed in memory of the Twelve Apostles.‎ These seems to be the Twelve Thrones where the Lord ate with his disciples mentioned in the Commemoratorium de Casis Dei II, 39-40, ed. McCormick 2011, pp. 212-213 of 808.

Architectural Evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
Phase 5
Abandonment

General outline:

The original structure cannot be reconstructed.

Dating material:

The excavators date the construction of the chapel by the pottery found, and in comparison to the chapel of the multiplication of the loaves,

Phase date

Century:

4th c.

Within century:

Late

General outline:

The church was rebuilt, Three sides of the main hall; south, west and north, are preserved. Dimensions are 6.45 m wide on 12 m estimated length. main entrance on the western side, secondary entrance on the northern and southern sides. 6.85 m from the main entrance were two pillars, which might have supported an arch. The floor was beaten earth.

Dating material:

It appears the church was damaged and abandoned during the Persian invasion.

Phase date

Century:

5th c.

Subphases

Subphase A Date

7th c.

First half

General outline:

The church was repaired. The pavement at the eastern part of the of the nave was raised by 30 cm.

Dating material:

The church is mentioned in texts, such as the commemoratoriom de casis Dei from 808 CE. According to pottery it seems that the church was destroyed before the tenth century.

Phase date

Century:

7th c.

Within century:

Late

General outline:

A new floor of stones was laid on the western part of the nave, leveling with eastern part.

Dating material:

The monk Daniel mentions seeing a church at 1106 C.E. the church is mentioned by Thetmarus (1217) who says is was destroyed by the Saracens. It appears the church was destroyed at 1187, by order of Saladin.

Phase date

Century:

11th c.

Within century:

Late

General outline:

Only the threshold of this church was found.

Dating material:

The church was rebuilt at 1260.

Phase date

Century:

12th c.

Within century:

Second half

Dating material:

The church was destroyed by Bibars at 1263. a modern church was built on top of the ruins.

Phase date

Century:

13th c.

Post Arab conquest history:

Abandoned

Post conquest history comments:

the church was damaged and abandoned during 614 and rebuilt at the end of the seventh century or beginning of the eighth century.