Everybody knows the story of Mary Magdalene.

Her story of repentance, forgiveness and encounter with the Lord has become a favorite for many Catholics, especially women.

The story many don’t know, however, is that of her hometown: Magdala.

Situated on the northern point of the Sea of Galilee, Magdala, at one point, was a robust fishing village.

It was well known in the Sea of Galilee for its fish market and docks. The people had constructed a vibrant village with a synagogue, roads, baths and fish-cleaning stations.

The fish purchased in Magdala were sent near and far, some reaching Rome.

For thousands of years, though, the town sat under a foot of dirt, its ruins hidden from the eyes of passersby.

That was until the Legionaries of Christ started building their Sea of Galilee guesthouse.

In 2009, a generous benefactor donated the land where Magdala sat buried to the Legionaries, asking them to open a guesthouse for pilgrims and visitors.

Excited, they broke ground, only to soon come across ancient ruins, thereby halting the construction process.

A team of archeologists was brought in to begin excavating the site, and quickly they realized that they had found the ancient city of Magdala.

That discovery only began a series of exciting, newsworthy archeological finds.

Perhaps the most significant was the discovery of the Magdala stone.

Discovered in the excavated synagogue, the Magdala stone was perfectly preserved. Decorated with ornate carvings and images, the ceremonial furniture piece had been used to roll out the Torah scrolls. 

The discovery was a first in the archeological community, as archeologists had never found such a detailed stone within a synagogue.

Inspired by the discovery of Magdala, the Legionaries decided to name the new guesthouse and area “Magdala” and began constructing the guesthouse to the side of the ruins.

As they built, they wanted to create a prayerful environment where pilgrims could encounter the Lord through architecture and the liturgy, Legionary Father Eamon Kelly, vice director at Magdala, explained to the Register.

So they built a chapel that features artwork centered on Jesus’ healing ministry.

“We had this challenge of what we wanted to convey with the Church,” Father  Kelly said.  “We wanted this to be a place where people could sit down and see these images of Jesus’ healing ministry and be able to encounter the Lord through the artwork.” 

Named Duc in Altum, or “Into the Deep,” the chapel invites guests to contemplate how Christ is inviting them into a deeper relationship with him like his invitation for Peter to walk out onto the Sea of Galilee. 

The chapel’s highlight is the unique altar decoration within the main church. The altar is set behind a replica façade of an ancient boat. Both the lectern and the tabernacle are placed within the boat.

When they were constructing the altar, the Legionaries had to receive special permission from the patriarch for this placement. This detail was important for the priests.

“We wanted to place the tabernacle and the lectern on the altar because we wanted to convey that Jesus is present in the boat and that he is teaching from the boat,” Father Kelly said. “So, when the pastor goes up there and he preaches from pulpit or celebrates the Eucharist, people are watching Jesus teaching from water and seeing his Body in the boat.”  

Perhaps the most beautiful architectural detail is the marble sanctuary that the boat altar is set on. With a deep blue hue, the sanctuary, combined with the large windows in the back looking out toward an infinity pool and the Sea of Galilee, gives the appearance that the boat is floating on water.

The walls of side chapels are adorned with beautiful mosaics depicting Christ’s various healing miracles, such as the healing of Jarius’ daughter from the Gospel of Mark.

Under the chapel is a crypt chapel, built on top of the original market road of Magdala. It is likely that Jesus, St. Peter and the other apostles walked this very road. Behind the altar is a large painting, showing a zoomed-in shot of the finger of the woman who touched Jesus’ tunic in Matthew 9 and the subsequent healing that took place.

A site of healing and encounter, pilgrims at Magdala experience the presence of the Lord through the art and space within the grounds and chapel. 

Here, along the Sea of Galilee, Magdala is a place to experience that healing power of Jesus, for pilgrims like me still encounter the Lord here. 

Correspondent Jack Figge recently traveled to the Holy Land.