The remains of a fifth century Byzantine church were unveiled in Gaza Strip on Monday following a three-year restoration project.
At a ceremony marking the site’s reopening Issam al-Daalis who heads the government works follow up department in Gaza said the site’s restoration was an example of the strong relationship between Christians and Muslims in Palestine and in Gaza Strip in particular.
For his part the most senior Christian cleric in Gaza Archbishop Alexios of Tiberias recalled Christianity’s long history in the coastal territory noting that “monasticism began in the Gaza Strip thousands of years ago.
The remains of a church and monastery were first discovered in Jabalia a city in northern Gaza in 1997 over an area spanning roughly 800 square meters (957 square yards).
The church floor is adorned with rare mosaics including depictions of animals hunting scenes and palm trees.
Gaza’s tourism ministry said the church’s original walls were adorned with religious texts written in ancient Greek dating from the era of Emperor Theodosius II who ruled Byzantium from the year AD 408 to AD 450.
