Emmaus Facts for Kids

Mattias Storm: "Supper in Emmaus", 1601

Emmaus is a special place mentioned in the Bible. It's where Jesus met two of his followers after he came back to life (his Resurrection).

The story says these two followers were walking on a road. Jesus started walking with them, but they didn't recognize him at first. They told him all about what had happened in Jerusalem, especially about Jesus being crucified. Jesus walked with them until they reached a village called Emmaus.

When they sat down to eat supper, Jesus blessed the food and broke the bread. At that moment, the two followers finally realized it was Jesus! As soon as they recognized him, he disappeared.

Where is Emmaus?
- Different Distances
Emmaus in Art
Related pages
Images for kids
See also

Where is Emmaus?

For a very long time, people have believed that Emmaus is the modern-day Arab village of Amwas. This village is about 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of Jerusalem. If you walk from Jerusalem across the mountains, it can take 6 to 7 hours to reach it.

This place was known as Nicopolis between the 3rd and 7th centuries AD. During the time of the Byzantine Empire, two large churches (called Basilicas) were built there. They had beautiful mosaics and a special place for baptism.

Different Distances

Many old copies of the Gospel of Luke say that Emmaus was only 12 kilometers (7 miles) from Jerusalem. This shorter distance is what you'll find in most Bibles today.

During the Crusades and the Renaissance, many Christians traveling to the Holy Land looked for Emmaus at this 7-mile distance. Because of this, several villages about 12 kilometers from Jerusalem were thought to be Emmaus. Even today, you can find three places in the Holy Land that are believed to be Emmaus: Emmaus Nicopolis, Qubeibe, and Abu-Gosh!