In a revelation set to stir global Christian communities and ignite archaeological debate, a team of scholars now claims to have pinpointed the true site of Jesus’ first miracle: the transformation of water into wine at a wedding in Qana. And it isn’t where most modern pilgrims think it is.

While Kfar Kanna near Nazareth has long profited from its status as “Qana of the Galilee,” new archaeological evidence emerging from Khirbet Qana—a little-known site tucked away 12 kilometers northwest of Nazareth—is now challenging that tradition with what experts are calling startlingly conclusive proof.

The Real Qana? An Underground Christian Complex Tells the Tale

Since 1998, a dedicated team of researchers—first led by Professor Douglas Edwards and now by Dr. McCollough—has meticulously excavated the ancient ruins of Khirbet Qana. What they uncovered was nothing short of extraordinary: a sprawling Jewish village from the time of Jesus, featuring a sophisticated hidden cave complex that early Christians had transformed into a worship center.

A team of archaeologists believes they have uncovered strong evidence pointing to the real site of Jesus’ first miracle – turning water into wine – at the site of Khirbet Qana, a quiet hillside village about 12 kilometers northwest of Nazareth. pic.twitter.com/EqbkJc3Cbg

— James Richards (@JamesRicha505) May 26, 2025

Beneath the remnants of the ancient village, archaeologists discovered a series of subterranean rooms dating from the Byzantine to the Crusader period (415–1217 CE). Inside one chamber, the team found an altar crafted from the lid of a repurposed sarcophagus. Above the altar sat a stone shelf cradling two large stone jars—jars that, according to early Christian belief, matched the very vessels Jesus used to perform his iconic miracle.

“On the shelf with the two stone jars, there was room for four more. Six stone jars could hold the water that Jesus turned into wine. All this points to the fact that Khirbet Qana was considered the Cana of the New Testament from a very early period,” said Dr. McCollough referencing passages from the Gospel of John.

Nearby, ancient inscriptions adorned the plastered walls—crosses, pilgrim names, and even the hauntingly powerful Greek phrase: Kyrios Iesou—Lord Jesus. This wasn’t just a worship site; it was a shrine built on memory, reverence, and possibly eyewitness tradition.

Jesus changed the water to wine at Cana, likely to be identified with Khirbet Qana, a site in lower Galilee with a marvelous view of the Bet Netofa Valley. pic.twitter.com/LTgpWKM7M0

— BiblePlaces (@BiblePlaces) December 28, 2021

Jewish Roots and Christian Reverence Intertwined

In a powerful testament to the site’s layered history, the village bore strong evidence of a thriving Jewish settlement during the Roman period. Excavators unearthed a Beit Midrash—a Jewish study house—alongside six coins dating back to the Hasmonean (Maccabean) revolt. These findings directly align with the Gospel’s description of water jars used for Jewish ritual purification, grounding the miracle story in an authentic Jewish cultural setting.

In contrast, excavations at the more tourist-friendly site of Kfar Kanna have failed to produce any evidence of a Jewish settlement from the time of Jesus—casting serious doubt on its traditional claim as the biblical Qana.

Kfar Kanna was simply easier for medieval pilgrims to reach, according to Biblical Historian, Dr. James Tabor. That doesn’t make it authentic. Khirbet Qana, by contrast, holds every marker of authenticity—from Roman-period Jewish life to 3rd-century Christian veneration.

Is THIS where Jesus turned #water into #wine? Archaeologists in #Israel claim they've found exact location where miracle took place,say real site is more likely to be town of Khirbet Qana, 8 miles northwest of #Nazareth, where signs of early Christian worship have been discovered pic.twitter.com/VKiQ2bmwT9

— Hans Solo (@thandojo) May 25, 2025

Was Qana More Than Just a Wedding Venue?

According to Dr. Tabor, hints in the Gospel narrative and early Christian writings suggest that Qana may have played a central role in Jesus’ early ministry—perhaps even serving as a headquarters or personal retreat. This theory gains credibility from the early Christian effort to preserve and sanctify the site beneath Khirbet Qana—an effort not mirrored in Kfar Kanna until much later.

Today, the Church of the Wedding in Kfar Kanna continues to draw thousands of pilgrims annually and even claims to house the original miracle jars. But for scholars, the tide is turning.