Mystery of Jesus turning water to wine REVEALED as archeologists make shock discovery

A tunnel network unearthed in Israel could be the site where Christians believe Jesus performed his first miracle by turning water into wine.

For hundreds of years, pilgrims have believed the site of the wedding miracle to be Kafr Kanna, a town in northern Israel, but archaeologists now believe the Cana of biblical times might be a hillside five miles to the north, the news outlet reported.

The location is the former site of Khirbet Qana, an ancient Jewish village, and excavations have uncovered a network of tunnels used for Christian worship, including an altar and a shelf hold the remains of a stone vessel with room for five more.

Six stone jars like this held the wine in the biblical account of the miracle.

Tom McCollough, who is directing the excavations, told the news outlet three other sites appear to fit the bill, but "none has the ensemble of evidence that makes such a persuasive case for Khirbet Qana."

"We have uncovered a large Christian veneration cave complex that was used by Christian pilgrims who came to venerate the water-to-wine miracle," he told. "This complex was used beginning in the late fifth or early sixth century and continued to be used by pilgrims into the 12th-century Crusader period.

"The pilgrim texts we have from this period that describe what pilgrims did and saw when they came to Cana of Galilee match very closely what we have exposed as the veneration complex."

As part of his evidence, McCollough points to the work of first-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus.

"His references to Cana align geographically with the location of Khirbet Qana and align logically with his movements," McCollough told the news outlet. "The reference to Cana in Josephus, the New Testament and in the rabbinic texts would argue the village was a Jewish village, near the Sea of Galilee and in the region of lower Galilee.

"Khirbet Qana fulfills all of these criteria."

“At this point the Franciscans were managing Christian pilgrimage and facilitating easy passage rather than historical accuracy.”

Dr McCollough believes the discoveries at Khirbet Qana could even bolster the case for the historicity of the Gospel of John.

He said: “Our excavations have shown that this was in fact a thriving Jewish village located in the heart of much of Jesus’s life and ministry.

“For the Gospel of John, Cana is in some ways, Jesus’s safe place or operational centre. It is a place He and His disciples return to when they encounter resistance in Judea.

“I would argue our excavations warrant at least a reconsideration of the historical value of John’s references to Cana and Jesus.”

Mystery of Jesus turning water to wine REVEALED as archeologists make shock discovery

Archeologists find ancient quarry and stone vessel factory

Reineh excavations in the Galilee unearth thousands of chalkstone cores and other types of production waste, including fragments of mugs and bowls.

New light has been shed on this question with the discovery of a 2,000-year-old stone vessel quarry and production center at Reineh near the city of Nazareth in the Lower Galilee. The ancient site was uncovered during the course of construction work at a new municipal sports center in Reineh.

“According to ancient Jewish ritual law, vessels made of pottery are easily made impure and must be broken,” explained Prof. Yonatan Adler of Ariel University and director of the excavations conducted on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

“Stone, on the other hand, was thought to be a material which can never become ritually impure, and as a result ancient Jews began to produce some of their everyday tableware from stone.”

Indeed, the jars filled with water which the Gospels say Jesus turned into wine were made of chalkstone. And the wedding at Cana narrative in the Gospel of John (John 2:6) relates, “Now there were six stone water jars set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each.”

The Reineh excavations unearthed a small cave in which archaeologists have found thousands of chalkstone cores and other types of production waste, including fragments of stone handled mugs and bowls in various stages of production.

This is the fourth chalkstone workshop of its kind discovered in ancient Israel; two are in the Galilee and two in the Jerusalem area.

Although chalkstone vessels have been found at many archaeological sites in Israel, including Kfar Kana, Sepphoris (Tzipori) and Nazareth, “it is extremely unusual to uncover a site where such vessels were actually produced,” Adler said. “Our excavations are highlighting the pivotal role of ritual purity observance not only in Jerusalem but in far-off Galilee as well.”

Archeologists find ancient quarry and stone vessel factory

Scientists want to CLONE Jesus: The search for the Messiah’s DNA has begun

For the first time in history, a man of faith and a man of science are teaming up to search for Jesus’ DNA. Using the latest advances in DNA technology an Oxford University geneticist and a biblical scholar are investigating the world’s most famous holy relics including the Shroud of Turin, The Sudarium of Oviedo and the newly discovered bones of Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist. By extracting and analyzing samples of each of these holy relics they hope to retrieve a sample of DNA that possibly belongs to Jesus or a member of his family.

Right now, experts are trying to ‘extract’ the genetic code of the family of Jesus Christ. Numerous strange claims have been made by different individuals who said to have been on the verge of cloning Jesus Christ. However, we still have not managed to clone a human being, let a lone the Son of God.

But what if we could track down the DNA of the Messiah?

Now, a History Channel documentary called ‘The Jesus Strand’, which premieres on April 16 looks into the matter.

History Channel’s “The Jesus Strand” is a journey where, for the first time in history, a man of faith and a man of science are teaming up to search for Jesus’ DNA. Using the latest advances in DNA technology Oxford University geneticist George Busby and biblical scholar Pastor Joe Basile are investigating the world’s most famous holy relics including the Shroud of Turin, The Sudarium of Oviedo and the newly discovered bones of Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist. Their journey takes them to holy sites around the world from Spain and Italy to Israel and the shores of the Black Sea.

Speaking to the Conversation, George Busby of the University of Oxford—who participates in ‘The Jesus Strand’ said:

“In 2010, Kasimir Popkonstantinov discovered what he believes are the bones of one of the most famous of all saints: John the Baptist. I was interested in what DNA analysis could tell us about these bones, and other ones.”

“When Kasimir later opened the reliquary, he found five bone fragments. The epitaph on the smaller box, probably used to carry the bones when travelling, was the key piece of evidence that led him to believe that the bones could perhaps be those of John the Baptist. ‘The finding is hugely important, partly because John the Baptist was both a disciple of Jesus and his cousin – meaning they would share DNA.”

However, Busby indicates that it is still not clear whether or not that DNA is from the REAL John the Baptist. Nevertheless, he has spoken with scientists who participated in the extraction of numoerus DNA samples from the Turin Shroud.

(Read: Ancient texts reveal Jesus Christ was NOT Divine)

The Shroud of Turin is believed to be by many as the burial cloth of Jesus, and the center of a debate between skeptics, historians, and archeologists. The cloth of approximately 4.5 meters in length was the alleged shroud placed over the body of Jesus Christ at the time of his burial. It has remained as an object of fascination for both the Christian faith and science.  Its origin is controversial, while some place the shroud of Turin more than 2,000 years ago to adjust the story to a supernatural origin, others believe it dates between the 13th and 14th century, based on a radiocarbon dating carried out on the linen in 1988. In addition, despite thorough scientific analysis, so far no one knows for sure how the image of a crucifixion victim is shown on the shroud although many say it is the work of Leonardo da Vinci.

Interestingly, researchers are working on extracting the DNA from the so-called James Ossuary—a first century chalk box which supposedly may have help the bones of Jesus’ brother.

Busby added, “Let’s assume for a moment that contamination could be completely ruled out and that DNA analysis demonstrated that DNA from the Shroud was a familial match to DNA from the James Ossuary – and that they are both related to the Bulgarian bones. Could this then have been the DNA of Jesus and his family?”

Scientists want to CLONE Jesus: The search for the Messiah’s DNA has begun

Jesus Christ's 'burial slab' uncovered during restoration

Restorers working in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Israel uncover stone slab venerated as the resting place of Jesus Christ.

JERUSALEM, ISRAELFor the first time in centuries, scientists have exposed the original surface of what is traditionally considered the tomb of Jesus Christ. Located in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem, the tomb has been covered by marble cladding since at least 1555 A.D., and most likely centuries earlier.

"The marble covering of the tomb has been pulled back, and we were surprised by the amount of fill material beneath it,” said Fredrik Hiebert, archaeologist-in-residence at the National Geographic Society, a partner in the restoration project. “It will be a long scientific analysis, but we will finally be able to see the original rock surface on which, according to tradition, the body of Christ was laid."

According to Christian tradition, the body of Jesus Christ was laid on a shelf or “burial bed” hewn from the side of a limestone cave following his crucifixion by the Romans in A.D. 30 or possibly 33. Christian belief says Christ was resurrected after death, and women who came to anoint his body three days after the burial reported that no remains were present.

This burial shelf is now enclosed by a small structure known as the Edicule (from the Latin aedicule, or "little house"), which was last reconstructed in 1808-1810 after being destroyed in a fire. The Edicule and the interior tomb are currently undergoing restoration by a team of scientists from the National Technical University of Athens, under the direction of Chief Scientific Supervisor Professor Antonia Moropoulou.

The exposure of the burial bed is giving researchers an unprecedented opportunity to study the original surface of what is considered the most sacred site in Christianity. An analysis of the original rock may enable them to better understand not only the original form of the tomb chamber, but also how it evolved as the focal point of veneration since it was first identified by Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, in A.D. 326.

"We are at the critical moment for rehabilitating the Edicule," Moropoulou said. "The techniques we're using to document this unique monument will enable the world to study our findings as if they themselves were in the tomb of Christ."

Moment of Revelation

The doors to the church were shut early—hours before normal closing time, leaving a bewildered crowd of pilgrims and tourists standing in front of the towering wooden doors. Inside, a scrum of conservators in yellow hard hats, Franciscans in simple brown robes, Greek orthodox priests in tall black hats, and Copts in embroidered hoods surrounded the entrance to the Edicule, peering into its reaches. Rising above all of them was the façade of the early 19th-century shrine, its elaborate carvings obscured by iron beams and orange safety tape.

Inside the tomb, which usually glows with a faint constellation of wax candles, bright construction lighting filled the small cell, revealing tiny details that are usually overlooked. The marble slab that covers the holy bench—roughly 3 by 5 feet and carved from creamy marble—had been pulled away from the wall. Beneath it was a grey-beige stone surface. What is it? a conservator was asked. "We don’t know yet," she replied. "It's time to bring in the scientific monitoring tools."

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre (also known as the Church of the Resurrection) is currently under the custody of six Christian sects. Three major groups—the Greek Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Armenian Orthodox Church—maintain primary control over the site, and the Coptic, Ethiopian Orthodox, and Syriac communities also have a presence there. Parts of the church that are considered common areas of worship for all of the sects, including the tomb, are regulated by a Status Quo agreement that requires the consent of all of the custodial churches.

Outside the Edicule, Thephilos III, the Greek Patriarch of Jerusalem, stood watching the events with a serene smile. "I'm glad that the atmosphere is special, there is a hidden joy," said the patriarch. "Here we have Franciscans, Armenians, Greeks, Muslim guards, and Jewish police officers. We hope and we pray that this will be a real message that the impossible can become the possible. We all need peace and mutual respect."

Resurrecting a Sacred Shrine

The structural integrity of the early 19th-century Edicule has been a concern for decades. It suffered damage during a 1927 earthquake, and British authorities were forced to shore up the building in 1947 with unsightly exterior girders that remain to this day. Difficulties among the Status Quo representatives and a lack of financial resources have hindered its repair.

In 2015, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, with the agreement of the other two major communities, invited the National Technical University of Athens (which had previously led restoration projects on the Athenian Acropolis and the Hagia Sophia) to study the Edicule. The communities of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre agreed to restore the structure in March 2016, with work to be completed by the spring of 2017. Major donors to the $4-million-plus project include a royal benefaction from Jordan's King Abdullah II, and $1.3-million gift from Mica Ertegun to the World Monuments Fund in support of the project.

Jesus Christ's 'burial slab' uncovered during restoration