Aqaba Church

Aqaba Church is a very old church from the 3rd century located in Aqaba, Jordan. It was discovered in 1998 by archaeologists and is thought to be the oldest church built just for Christian worship in the world. The first part of the church was built between the years 293 and 303, which makes it older than famous churches like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. These other churches were built a little later, in the late 320s.

The church is located far from the center of the Roman Empire, and this likely helped protect it. Not long after the church was built, a time called the Great Persecution began, where many Christians faced danger. Because of its remote location, the Aqaba Church survived this difficult time and remains an important discovery for learning about early Christian history.

Discovery and identification as a church

The ruins of a very old church were found in the city of Aqaba, Jordan, in June 1998 by a group of archaeologists. They recognized it as a church because of its special design and shape, which showed that churches existed in Jordan much earlier than many historians thought.

The archaeologist leading the work, S. Thomas Parker from North Carolina State University, decided it was a church based on its design and some special items found there, like glass lamps and a bronze cross. This discovery proved that Aqaba already had a big group of Christians by the year 325, when a bishop from Aqaba took part in an important meeting called the First Council of Nicaea. Similar older churches made from mud bricks have been found in Egypt.

North Carolina State University

house church, Dura-Europos, First Council of Nicaea, mud-brick

History

The Aqaba church was built in the late third or early fourth century. Its first phase was dated between the years 293 and 303, making it older than the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, which were built later in the late 320s. The church was abandoned during a time of trouble for Christians around the year 303, but because it was in a quiet part of the Roman Empire, it stayed well-preserved. Later, the church was used again until it was destroyed in a big earthquake in the year 363. Sand helped protect the walls of the church over time.

Description

The Aqaba Church was shaped like a large three-aisled basilica and had a special entry area called a narthex. It was built with mud-brick walls over stone foundations and measured about 85 feet by 53 feet. Inside, there was likely a high central area and side areas with arched doorways. Steps found there suggest it may have had a second floor.

Archaeologists found walls that stood almost 5 meters tall, the base of a special screen called a chancel screen, a box for collecting money with coins inside, pieces of glass oil lamps, and a nearby area with 24 sets of remains close to the church. Originally, the church could hold around 60 people to pray, and later it was made bigger so that up to 100 people could join together.