Ancient Christian Community Discovered in Unlikely Place
An ancient Christian community has been discovered in one of the most unlikely places.
In Bahrain, a Middle Eastern nation in the Persian Gulf which is heavily dominated by Islam, a long-lost Christian building was discovered.
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As Newsweek noted, excavations that took place between 2019 and 2023 revealed quite the surprise when a Christian building was uncovered. Timothy Insoll from the University of Exeter told the outlet that the finding of this building carries great significance because it is the only Christian architectural structure in Bahrain.
On the University of Exeter’s website, Insoll said, “This is the first physical evidence found of the Nestorian Church in Bahrain and gives a fascinating insight into how people lived, worked and worshiped.”
The university also notes that the radiocarbon dating of the building placed its age between the 4th and 8th centuries and that it “was abandoned after the population converted to Islam.”
It was also determined that the structure was built with stone and plaster. It is the plaster that was used to create the Christian symbols in the building.
“The Christian identity of the inhabitants is shown by three plaster crosses found, two that would have decorated the building, and one that could have been carried or kept as a personal memento,” the web description reads.
The excavation also revealed graffiti in the plaster which uncovered a Chi-Rho and a fish, further suggesting that the building was used by believers in Christ.
This exciting discovery is a reminder of the early church and the brothers and sisters in Christ who made it their great goal to share the gospel to all, the reason why we today have heard about Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross.
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Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.
