Byzantine-Era “Christ, Born of Mary” Inscription Discovered Author: Bryan Windle Created: 25 January 2021
Archaeologists digging at et-Taiyiba, in the northern Jezreel valley, have unearthed the remains of a Byzantine church, along with a Greek inscription with the phrase, “Christ, born of Mary . The inscribed stone was once part of the lintel at the entrance of the church, which dates to the 5th century; the church was discovered in preparation for the construction of a road. The full inscription reads, Christ born of Mary. This work of the most God-fearing and pious bishop [Theodo]sius and the miserable Th[omas] was built from the foundation - -. Whoever enters should pray for them. The inscription would have greeted the worshipers to bless them; the phrase “Christ, born of Mary,” may have been intended to protect people from evil. In addition to the inscription, archaeologists discovered mosaic pavements arranged in geometric de
The First Byzantine Church in Taibe
The blessing originally stood above the entrance of the church but it was discovered in the more modern church walls, so it had been reused as construction material at some time in the past when the building collapsed and was rebuilt. Taibe was a Christian village in the Byzantine period between the 5th to 7th centuries and later became the site of a Crusader fortress. IAA archaeologist Dr. Walid Atrash points out that while archaeologists have explored the Jezreel Valley for many years, most of their findings relate to ancient Christians, but this discovery is “the first evidence of the Byzantine church’s existence in the village of Taibe.”
Set In Stone: 1,500-Year-Old ‘Christ, Born Of Mary’ Inscription Found
Set In Stone: 1,500-Year-Old ‘Christ, Born Of Mary’ Inscription Found
Comments Off on Set In Stone: 1,500-Year-Old ‘Christ, Born Of Mary’ Inscription Found
A Greek inscription dedicated to “Christ born of Mary” was discovered during Israel Antiquities Authority excavations in the village of et-Taiyiba in the Jezreel Valley.
Engraved in stone, the inscription comes from the frame of an entrance door of what appears to be a church dating from the Byzantine period (late 5th century CE).
According to Leah Di-Segni, a researcher at the Institute of Archaeology of Hebrew University of Jerusalem, this dedicatory inscription would have been engraved while casting the foundations of the church.
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