Washington update links El Araj digs to Bethsaida, highlighting Byzantine basilica finds, a first-century house, and mosaic inscription.
Newsroom (07/05/2026 Gaudium Press ) Recent archaeological work at El Araj, a site in Israel long associated with the Gospel-era town of Bethsaida, is being presented as increasingly consistent with early historical testimony and with the New Testament’s portrayal of the apostles’ home. El-Araj is located on the northeast shore of the Sea of Galilee, just beyond the estuary of the Jordan River. In the Gospels, typically, it is the destination for Jesus’s travels when it says he went to “the other side.”
At a May 5 presentation at the Catholic Information Center in Washington, D.C., Steven Notley—academic director of the El Araj Excavation Project—offered an update on an excavation that began in 2016 and has continued since. Notley described the dig as having “essentially confirmed” that the site, known as El Araj, is indeed the location of Bethsaida, the Galilean town referenced repeatedly in the New Testament, including the Gospel of John (1:44) as the home of apostles Peter, his brother Andrew, and Philip.
From Scripture to Site: Why Bethsaida Matters
The setting of Bethsaida in the Gospel narratives gives the site a particular significance: John 1:44 places the apostles’ home there, and the account also situates Jesus’ activities around the area. In the words used by Notley during his Washington update, the El Araj excavation is framed as the uncovering of “the last town of apostolic times to be discovered”—a statement that underscores the project’s aim to test whether the physical remains align with the biblical period.
Notley’s talk connected the scriptural record with material findings over multiple excavation seasons, emphasizing that the project has proceeded for years with ongoing analysis and reinterpretation as new layers are exposed and previously hidden features are brought to light.
A Long-Running Project and a Regional Leader
Notley’s presence in Washington was not only tied to the latest excavations, but also to his broad experience in the region. He is also executive director of the Center for the Study of Ancient Judaism and Christian Origins. Notley lived in Jerusalem with his wife and four children for 16 years and has led groups of students and laypeople to Israel and the eastern Mediterranean region for over 35 years.
During his talk, he described how the project’s findings have added clarity to the identification of El Araj with Bethsaida—an identification that, in his assessment, has grown stronger since the dig began.
Byzantine Basilica and Earlier Occupation
Notley said that excavations at the site have produced evidence spanning different eras, including major remains associated with the Byzantine period. He reported that work in 2018 uncovered the remains of a Byzantine-era basilica, along with a first-century house located directly under the basilica’s apse in 2023.
The significance of that alignment, as presented at the event, lies in the layering of history: the basilica stands above earlier domestic architecture, creating a continuous archaeological narrative in the same geographic space. Notley said excavators were able to identify a structure underneath the apse of the basilica by identifying pottery they discovered there as first-century pottery. He also said the team found first-century fishing weights—objects consistent with the region’s fishing-centered life during that era.
“So, we have a first-century house wall under the apse. It doesnʼt have a plaque on it that says ‘Peter slept here,’ but from a perspective of archaeology, it doesnʼt get much better than that,” Notley said.
Historic Testimony From the Eighth Century
Notley tied the archaeological work to early Christian travel accounts as well. He said the discoveries match the historic account of Willibald, an eighth-century bishop of Eichstätt in Bavaria, Germany, who traveled to the Holy Land in 725 A.D. Willibald wrote about a church in Bethsaida built over the home of Sts. Peter and Andrew.
In the presentation, that account was presented not as proof by itself, but as an early historical reference that the archaeology is beginning to mirror—particularly through the combination of a basilica and earlier foundational domestic remains beneath it.
A Mosaic With a Sacred Message
Among the finds associated with the basilica, Notley highlighted a mosaic uncovered in 2022. The mosaic bears an inscription calling for intercession: “Chief of the apostles and keeper of the keys of heaven, intercede for him and his children George and Theophano.”
The wording of the mosaic, as described during the May 5 presentation, connects the site’s architectural remains and decorative program to apostolic identity and an enduring tradition linking the location to Peter.
Fire, Recovery, and What Was Previously Hidden
The El Araj project has not only depended on careful excavation of intact layers; it has also had to navigate unexpected environmental disruptions. Notley said that last year the site endured a wildfire. He explained that the changes resulting from the fire have since helped the team uncover evidence of columns and other structures that had previously been overlooked due to dense underbrush.
That account depicts the excavation as responsive to changing conditions—where altered ground cover can expose features and allow researchers to reassess earlier interpretations.
“Bible Stories Into Bible Realities”
Notley was joined by testimony from Melissa Overmyer, a Catholic evangelist who has participated in the dig at Bethsaida. Overmyer described the personal impact of being involved in excavation experiences in the Holy Land, stating that such experiences turn “Bible stories into Bible realities.”
Her testimony underscored the way the project’s goal—linking the biblical record to physical evidence—resonates not only in academic settings, but also for participants drawn to the spiritual and cultural meaning of the site.
An Ongoing Effort With New Layers Still to Come
As Notley’s update made clear, the El Araj Excavation Project is not a single-season discovery but an evolving research effort. With continued excavation since 2016, findings across years have built a composite picture: a Byzantine basilica from later periods, first-century remains beneath it, and associated artifacts such as pottery and fishing weights that support an early occupation narrative.
With each new layer and each newly exposed feature, the project continues to test whether El Araj can bear the weight of historical and scriptural association—an effort that, in Notley’s account, has reached a turning point in which the evidence is increasingly converging on the town of Bethsaida described in the New Testament.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from CNA
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