Matt. 14:19
The fertile Tabgha valley lies three kilometers northwest of Capernaum. Seven springs are said to flow into the lake here, hence, the site's Greek name, Heptapegon. At Tabgha, the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes commemorates the miracle of Jesus' feeding five thousand people with five loaves and two fish. A Byzantine mosaic floor in the church depicts spectacular flora and fauna motifs. Near the altar, one ancient mosaic portrays a pair of fishes and a basket of loaves Tabgha, the traditional site of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes, is situated near the northeastern shore of Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), 2.5 kilometers south of Capernaum, and some 12 kilometers north of Tiberias. The name "Tabgha" is an Arabic contraction of the Greek Heptapegon (the place of seven springs). Several springs still flow in this area, which is also associated with the teaching of the Beatitudes and the confirmation of the primacy of Peter.
In ancient times, Tabgha was known as Heptapegon - "Place of the Seven Springs." These seven springs produce warm water, which increases the production of algae in this part of the lake, and the algae attracts more fish. Fisherman have flocked to Heptapegon for thousands of years.
The Lady Egeria, who visited in 383, lists some steps on the shoreline where Jesus once stood; an adjoining grassy field where Jesus fed the people with the five loaves and the two fishes; and a nearby cave on the "mountainside" where Jesus preached the Beatitudes. She only mentions one religious building (a church containing the stone on which Jesus placed the bread when dividing it for the multitude), but modern archeological investigations found that small chapels had been built at all three sites during the second half of the 4th century. These investigations also determined that the site matched the Gospel description of "a solitary place", as no evidence was found of houses or cultivation.By the 4th century AD, Heptapegon had become a popular place for Byzantine pilgrims to rest and have their picnics, thanks to its shady trees and excellent fishing. It is probably not coincidence that two of the three pilgrimage destinations in this relate to abundant food: the miracle of the loaves and fishes during Jesus' Galilean ministry and a lakeside fish breakfast after Jesus' resurrection. A hill above the two lakeside churches is commemorated as the Mount of Beatitudes, from which Jesus spoke the most famous sermon in history. Tabgha is a beautiful area with many interesting things to see, and is a major stop for modern pilgrimages to the Christian sites of the Sea of Galilee.
In the 5th century, the church at the assumed site of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes was rebuilt and enlarged, but this building and the two nearby chapels were destroyed sometime in the 7th century, probably at the time of the Persian invasion. Bishop Arculf, who visited the place in 670, found only a grassy and level plain with no traces of buildings, except for a few columns around a spring.