By September 21, 2008 Read More →

Eucherius Describes the Church of the Apostles, c. 400 CE

Monut Zion DrawingIn the fifth century, the French politician and historian Eucherius mentioned the church on Mt. Zion-

The plain upper part [of Mt. Zion] is occupied by monks’ cells, which surround a church. Its foundations, it is said, have been laid by the Apostles in reverence to the place of the resurrection of the Lord. It was there that they were filled with the Spirit of the Paraclete [the Holy Spirit] as promised by the Lord.

In saying that the foundations were “laid by the Apostles in reverence to the place of the resurrection of the Lord,” Eucherius may have meant that the building was oriented toward Jesus’ tomb in the Holy Sepulchre Church, which was also the site of the resurrection.

Baldi, Donato, Enchiridion Locorum Sanctorum (Jerusalem- Franciscan Printing Press, 1982; reprint of the 2nd edition of 1955), no. 735.

Cited in Meinhardt, Jack, ed. Crusaders in the Holy Land; The Archaeology of Faith. Washington DC- Biblical Archaeology Society, 2005, p. 70.

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Posted in: Byzantine Period

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