Haifa Community’s Spiritual Retreat in the Galilee

A spiritual retreat and pilgrimage in the Holy Land is a profound experience, offering an opportunity to connect with the historical and religious roots of our faith in Christ. For our community, it was a blessed time, entirely dedicated to becoming acquainted with the holy sites where Jesus taught, performed miracles, and proclaimed the Gospel.

During our retreat, we focused on the Gospel according to Mark 7:31-37, in which Jesus healed a deaf and mute man. We believers are sometimes deaf to God’s voice, or mute when we find it difficult to express our faith. But Jesus, as in that miracle, touches us and heals our deafness and muteness.

Tiberias: The Sea of Galilee and the Historical Site

We began our trip at the Church of St. Peter (Tiberias Community) with an evening prayer, after which each of us had time to reflect on the meaning of the Gospel and the miracle of healing.

The following morning, we travelled to Capernaum, where Father Igino explained the significance of Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee in ancient times, especially during the time of Jesus, and its location as part of the trade route connecting Egypt to Damascus. We visited the remains of the ancient synagogue, and the church built on the site identified as the home of Simon Peter. We then went to Tabgha, the place where the miracle of the loaves and fishes took place.

We concluded our trip in Magdala at the archaeological site of the oldest synagogue found in the country, dating back to the first century, the time of Jesus Christ.



A Journey of Connection and Renewal

Our pilgrimage to the Galilee was a moving and inspiring experience. It was a blessed time of retreat, reflection, and spiritual renewal. We returned to our homes with hearts full of love and faith, ready to continue walking in the way of Jesus.

We want to first thank God for this inspiring time and these two days, to Father Igino, who organized and initiated the retreat, and to Father Andrei and the Tiberias community for their generous hospitality. We hope that later in the year we will have more days like these.