Archaeologists Uncover 1,500-Year-Old Churches in Egypt with Rare Mural of Jesus

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Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed the remains of two ancient churches dating back more than 1,500 years at a site that features a mural of Jesus healing the sick. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the finding in a news release this summer, saying the find dates to the “beginning of the Early Coptic Era,” which saw the conversion of the region “from paganism to Christianity.”

The churches were discovered in Ain al-Kharab, an archaeological site deep in the Kharga Oasis -- an area south of Cairo. 

The archaeological website Arkeonews reported that the largest of the two churches “follows the basilica design familiar to early Christianity,” with a “wide central hall flanked by aisles, divided by rows of square columns.”

“South of the main hall, archaeologists found service buildings -- possible storage rooms, kitchens, or meeting areas -- suggesting that the church was the spiritual and social heart of the community,” Arkeonews said. “The second church, more modest in scale, is rectangular and surrounded by the remnants of seven exterior columns. Inside, faint yet legible Coptic inscriptions speak of prayers and dedications made over 1,500 years ago. These writings are not just decorative; they are voices from Egypt’s Christian ancestors, preserved in the arid stillness of the desert.”

Buildings throughout the site were made of mudbrick.

The most significant archaeological discovery may have been a mural “depicting Jesus Christ healing a sick person,” according to the news release. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities did not release a photo of the mural but did share an image of the site.

Coptic Christianity traces its roots to the first century, when tradition holds that the Apostle Mark brought the Good News to the area. Egypt gave rise to influential theologians such as Athanasius and Origen, two men who defended Scripture and had a major influence on early Christian beliefs. The word “Coptic” means “Egyptian.”

Photo Credit: ©Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel. 

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