Israeli archaeologists have found mosaic floors among the ruins of a building that could have been the legendary Church of the Apostles. It is believed that it was built under the former home of the apostles Jesus, Peter and Andrew, located in the village of Bethsaida, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
Researchers have been excavating the region since 2016, and in 2019 they came across a basilica surrounded by a wall about a meter high. This time, scientists have unearthed a mosaic with two inscriptions, according to GlobeNewswire. “The smaller inscription mentions the name of the deacon and the building plan, and the largest inscription, which occupies half of the mosaic, speaks of the bishop and the reconstruction of the building,” said Professor Mordechai Aviam.
Archaeologists consider the inscriptions to be typical of Byzantine churches. The new discovery may be proof of the existence of a legendary religious site, mentioned in the travels of a Bavarian bishop named Willibald, who visited the area in 725.
At the moment, archaeologists have no convincing explanation as to why the building was hidden behind a wall with no doors. According to one hypothesis, the wall was built to preserve the remains of the church after it was destroyed by a strong earthquake.
According to another version, in the Middle Ages, a sugar factory was built on the site of the church, and the building could serve as its basement. Scientists plan to continue archaeological work next year and completely excavate the remains of the basilica, which will help answer questions and confirm that this is the very Church of the Apostles that has been searched for centuries.
