Oldest Christian Church Discovered in Megiddo Prison

January 8, 2006

Archaeologists said the church dated from the third century, decades before Constantine legalized Christianity across the Byzantine Empire. Israeli leaders were ecstatic over the discovery. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon called it “an amazing story.” The find is so significant that Pope Benedict XVI is considering a visit to Israel next year, so he can visit the Megiddo site––10 kilometers (6.2 miles) west of the town of Afula. Israel President Moshe Katsav presented the Pope with framed photographs of the mosaic patterns, which include fish-shaped emblems. The fish was a known symbol used by early Christians.Archaeologists found pottery remnants from the third century. They were interested that the prominent symbol in the mosaic was the fish and not the cross.

I spoke with the Yotam Tepper, the head of excavation at the site, for Bridges for Peace Israel Mosaic Radio. He said they had been working at the Megiddo prison location for two years. It had been a prison for the army. The Prison Authority planned cellblock extensions, and Tepper and his team were studying the area by excavation. During the course of this work, he said, they uncovered a deep site with a very long building that appeared to be from the Roman era to the Byzantine period.

The mosaic area is presently covered by an arched, plastic greenhouse six meters by nine meters (20 feet by 30 feet). It contains a fresco collapsed onto the floor that features three inscriptions in Greek, fish-shaped emblems, and geometric patterns.

Hebrew University Professor Leah Di Segni translated one of the inscriptions, which reads, “The God-loving Aketous has offered this table to the god Jesus Christ as a memorial.” The table seems to have been used in a ritual based on the Last Supper. It was probably made of wood since-perished. Up until this discovery, it was presumed that the early rituals were held around an altar, as they were in the Byzantine period.

The second inscription had writing that says, “You must remember Primilla and Kyriake and Dorothea and also Chreste.” Tepper and his team are working on finding the significance of these names. The final inscription tells of a Roman officer and a woman named Aketous, who paid to build the church in memory of “the god Jesus Christ.” Tepper explained that this is one of the first references to Jesus on a mosaic.

Debate is already under way over the dating for the church. “This was the early transitional period of Christianity. This building does not follow the standardized Byzantine church plan,” archaeologist Yardena Alexander told a press briefing. Stephen Pfann, a biblical scholar and professor at the Holy Land University, said that the second and third centuries were transitional periods, “where people sought to define their religious beliefs and modes of worship. Iconography and inscriptions found in Nazareth and Capernaum––places where Jesus lived––show that people went there to worship, although most did so secretly. This was a time of persecution; and in this way, it is quite surprising that there would be such a blatant expression of Christ in a mosaic. But it may be the very reason why the church was destroyed.”

Joe Zias, an anthropologist and former curator with the Israel Antiques Authority, questioned the dating of the church. “There is no evidence of churches before the fourth century. They’re going to be hard-pressed to prove it because the evidence argues otherwise.”

The Israel Antiquities Authority and the Prison Authority have a dilemma. When the mosaic floor is open to the public, will it be inside or outside of the Megiddo prison; and what will be the future for the proposed cellblock extensions? Yotam Tepper told me those decisions are under review. As for the prisoner Ramillo Razilo, he has already made plans to continue his work in archaeology after his release.

Source: By Ron Ross, Bridges for Peace Host of Israel Mosaic Radio