Biblical Reference

1. Jesus first public miracle, changed water into wine.
   John 2:1-11;
   

   1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, ² and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. ³ When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

   ⁴ “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

   ⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

   ⁶ Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

   ⁷ Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

   ⁸ Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

   They did so, ⁹ and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside ¹⁰ and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

   ¹¹ What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

2. Jesus healed the official’s son
   John 4:46-54;

   ⁴⁶ Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. ⁴⁷ When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.

   ⁴⁸ “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”

   ⁴⁹ The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”

   ⁵⁰ “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”

   The man took Jesus at his word and departed. ⁵¹ While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. ⁵² When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”

   ⁵³ Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.

   ⁵⁴ This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.

3. Nathanael, one of the Apostle is from Cana
   John 21:2; Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus^[b]), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 

Interesting Facts:

1. Cana’s actual location is uncertain, there are three possibilities from three religious authorities (Greek Orthodox, Catholic and Early Pilgrims)
2. All of these three locations are not far from each other, within one city block, so although we can’t pinpoint to the exact accuracy, the proximity area is accurate.
3. Franciscan Wedding Church is believed to be the most authentic site based on Jerome account. 
4. Nathanael Bartholomew Church is in Cana believe to be the home of Nathanael the Apostle.

Reference TTL:

The Arab village of Kafr Cana in the Lower Galilee, is identified in Christian tradition as Cana of the Galilee. Here, according to tradition, Jesus performed the miracle of the wine, when he went to a wedding of a poor couple and turned water into wine.

In the 17th century Kafr Cana was officially recognized by the Vatican, and the pope officially confirmed that Kafr Cana is indeed Cana of the Galilee. Following this recognition the village was added to the list of Christian holy places. Some researchers identify Kafr Cana with the Kana mentioned in the ancient Egyptian Amarna letters (from about 4,000 years ago).

One way or the other, in the Roman-Byzantine period (1,000-2,000 years ago), there was a large Jewish community here, but apparently by the Mameluke period (about 800 years ago) most of the residents of Kafr Cana were Christian, although there was still a Jewish community here, too. Today most of the residents of Kafr Cana are Muslim.

In the center of the village are a few remains of ancient buildings and burial caves. The villagers have built new houses to the southeast and northeast of the ancient village. The most important site in the village is the Catholic Church, built in 1879, on the traditional site of the miracle of the wine. Beside this church is the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, built in 1886, which houses two stone jars that Greek Orthodox followers believe are the jars in which Jesus performed the miracle of the wine.

There is also a church named after St. Bartholomew, built, according to tradition, on the site of the home of Nathaniel of Cana (St. Bartholomew), one of Jesus’ disciples.

Some 200,000 tourists visit Kafr Cana annually. Inspired by the miracle of the wine, a tradition has developed of holding weddings here, as well as renewing wedding vows to strengthen a marriage, and visitors customarily buy wine here. The street of the churches, in the center of the village, has been renovated and a promenade has been built, connecting the religious centers. Small plazas have been built along the promenade with rest spots, and the facades and courtyards of the buildings have been attractively refinished. Infrastructure has been laid alongside the promenade for commercial and hotel facilities, so that visitors will be able to combine the comforts of modern tourism with their religious experience.