1,400 year old relic of Christian faith discovered in Jerusalem

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
10/31/2011
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Intricately detailed relic at least 1,400 years old

A token of the new, Christian faith from 1,400 years ago has been discovered on an excavated Jerusalem street. The small, exquisitely made box was discovered by Israeli archaeologists. The box, carved from the bone of a cow, horse or camel is decorated with a cross on the lid, measuring only 0.8 inches by 0.6 inches.

Part of a similar box was found three decades ago in Jordan, but this is the only well-preserved example to be found so far. Similar icons are still carried today by some Christian believers, especially from the eastern Orthodox churches.

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LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - According to archaeologists, the box was likely carried by a Christian believer around the end of the 6th century. Yana Tchekhanovets of the Israel Antiquities Authority, one of the directors of the dig where the box was found says that when the lid is removed, the remains of two portraits are still visible in paint and gold leaf. A male and female figure, the portraits are probably Christian saints and possibly Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

The box was found in an excavation outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City in the remains of a Byzantine-era thoroughfare, Tchekhanovets says. Uncovered two years ago, it was treated by preservation experts and extensively researched before it was unveiled at an archaeological conference.

The box is an important find as it offers the first archaeological evidence that the use of icons in the Byzantine period was not limited to church ceremonies, she said.

The Byzantine Empire (or Byzantium) was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centered on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire to its inhabitants and neighbors, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State. It is today distinguished from ancient Rome proper insofar as the Empire was oriented towards Greek culture, characterized by a Christian state church rather than Roman paganism, and predominantly Greek-speaking rather than Latin-speaking.

Part of a similar box was found three decades ago in Jordan, but this is the only well-preserved example to be found so far. Similar icons are still carried today by some Christian believers, especially from the eastern Orthodox churches.

Discovered in the City of David excavation, a Jerusalem dig named for the biblical monarch believed to have ruled a Jewish kingdom from the site.

The politically sensitive dig is located in what is today the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan, just outside the Old City walls in east Jerusalem, the section of the holy city captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war and claimed by the Palestinians as their capital.

� 2011, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Christian relic, Byzantium, Israel, Jerusalem

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1 - 5 of 5 Comments

Mary
8 months ago
To Robert Burford,

you are right, it may have been a Pyx.

Beloved is the Lord Jehovah, who hears our most intimate prayers.
Mary
1 year ago
Concerning the Judo-Palestinian conflict - much is made of the Palestinan grievances. The issue finds its way into cultural upheavals throughout the world. It is often used as fraud and deception, masking the actions of governments which are corrupt beyond description. Governments have death lists and statistics which they endeavour to meet. The Arab - marxist contemporary debate is a useful tool for them to use because it kills. When people sport the Arab scarves, alluding to revoltutionary opinions, they are blindly following a trend set for them by someone else, some significant figure who was designated to mislead them by someone else again. When people call themselves "Anti-Zionist", what exactly are they saying? If Isreal becomes an Arab state, the Jews will necessarily lose foothold there and this will necessarily result in their migration to another destination and climate. Arabs hold many states and territories but any territory which Jews control are always hotly debated. The Jews belong in Isreal. Isreal is their home. I am not an advocate of Jewish "mob-ism" or Jewish imperialism, which is active in many countries, but I am not evil either. The Jews need a home. They need earth under their feet which they can call "home". The Jews were persecuted throughout the world not many years ago. Persecution is an ugly thing, and I pray that it does not happen again.I am not a Marxist (who was a Jew), I am a Christian. I believe that Jesus gave us all the things which Marx could give us, only more - faith in the Lord Jehovah.I believe that Jesus gave His life to bring us the truth.
Judy
1 year ago
Melanie: How Beautiful! I am so happy for you. "God works in Mysterious ways." We must All remember that. Even in this article. I personally would have liked more updated detailed news upon this area of the world as well. The fact that this wonderful artifact was found on Palestinian ground, tells me, how much history people are living on. I am not for Palestinians to be there, that is a personal opinion, but I am also not for Jews living on precious holy sites either. There is land to be lived on now, there is land for historical digs, there is land for a park. My last few sentences are information that were in my opinion, lacking from this article. All in all, it was interesting to know that a Byzantine Icon was found there, at this particular period of time. I hope I speak for those who love history: We would enjoy such articles as these.
Melanie Roine
1 year ago
These are confusing and difficult times, but things can get even more difficult than this. My father was a Finnish cynic who manipulated me away from the faith which baptized me. I am a Christian, actually, a Roman Catholic. This intervention by my earthly father was a tremendous loss to me. After reading the Apocaplypse, in my mid-twenties, my heart was opened to the Christian faith, after musing upon Buddhism.Rev.1:11 and 2:26-29. It was the "morning star" paradox which opened my dissenting heart. At one time I was confused and lost, but now I am a Christian. I read many Bibles and I had to read Martin Luther's Bible in German to come to grips with the actual text. I have been celibate for nearly 30 years and feel that I am close to God because I do not have divided loyalties. I just wanted to thank the Catholic church for bringing the faith. I know the Catholic church is often criticized, but is it ever thanked ? Thank you Vatican, for giving me the dignity I barely deserve, and the intelligence I can barely grasp.

CHRISTUS

HERI HODIE SEMPER TERTIUM MILLENNIUM
Robert Burford
1 year ago
I wonder ! It looks like it might have been a pyx. ????? Tell me what you think.

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