Excavation in Jordan uncovers what may be world’s oldest church

Archaeologists excavating in Jordan believe they may have uncovered the world’s oldest church in an underground cave.

Discovered beneath the altar of the ancient St. Georgeous Church in the northern Jordanian town of Rihab, the underground space — believed to be a chapel — dates to the period A.D. 33–70, just after Christ was crucified in Jerusalem, according to the archaeologists studying the discovery.

If the dates are confirmed to be correct, the chapel would be the oldest known place of Christian worship.

St. Georgeous Church dates back to A.D. 230.

“The discovery was amazing. We have evidence to believe this church sheltered the early Christians: the 70 disciples of Jesus Christ,” archaeologist Abdul Qader Hussan, head of the Rihab Center for Archaeological Studies, told the Jordan Times.

Archaeologists say the mosaic inscription “70 beloved by God and Divine” discovered long ago on the floor of St. Georgeous refers to Christians who fled Roman-ruled Jerusalem.

“We believe that they did not leave the cave and lived until the Christian religion was embraced by Roman rulers. It was then when St. Georgeous was built,” Hussan said.

However, other scholars have been skeptical, saying that more evidence is needed before dating the cave and establishing it as a place of worship for early Christians. (Compiled from wire services)