Religion is as old as history itself. Of the Earth’s many religions, the largest faith is Christianity, which has around 2.4 billion followers across the globe. That is roughly a third of the world’s population! Since the origins of Christianity during the 1st century CE, there have been countless places of worship built or converted to serve as a Christian church. Many of these structures still stand today, some of which are actually still in use! The team at AAA State of Play has created this visual guide to showcase the oldest churches in the world and the stories behind them:
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While there are differing archaeological perspectives on the oldest churches in the world, it is believed that the Megiddo church near Tel Megiddo, Israel is the oldest purpose-built church in the world. Today, the remnants of Megiddo church are located on the grounds of the Megiddo Prison, where they were discovered in late 2005 by an inmate. How old is the Megiddo church? Archaeologists uncovered coins, pottery, and inscriptions that date it back to circa 230 CE, which is nearly 1,800 years ago! The purposeful covering of mosaics suggests that the site was abandoned around 305 CE, which correlates with the crisis of 303 CE, when Christian communities were severely prosecuted by the Roman Empire during what was known as the Diocletianic Persecution. Fortunately, hiding the mosaics also helped to preserve them. The mosaics in the oldest Christian prayer house are significant because it is the first known archaeological evidence of believers in the divinity of Jesus Christ. One of the mosaics reads: “to the God Jesus Christ” and also contains images of fish, an early Christian symbol.
What is the biblical significance of Megiddo, the name of this church? According to Eric Cline, a professor of classical and Near Eastern languages and civilizations, Megiddo is heralded by the New Testament as the setting for the penultimate battle between the forces of good and evil, or as it is better known, Armageddon. In fact, the word “Armageddon” comes from “Har Megiddo,” which is Hebrew for “mountain of Megiddo.” There is some poetic beauty in that the oldest church on Earth is also prophesied as the location for the battle to end all battles. However, there has been some debate among archaeologists and anthropologists regarding the authenticity of this claim. Anthropologist Joe Zias, a former curator for the Israel Antiquities Authority, stated: “My gut feeling is that we are looking at a Roman building that may have been converted to a church at a later date." Regardless, the Israel Postal Service issued a 15-shekel stamp featuring the fish mosaic preserved on the church foundation to honor the discovery.
We discussed the earliest surviving mention of Jesus as divine, but what about the earliest images of Jesus? The oldest-known Christian paintings are believed to be the frescoes preserved on the walls of the Dura-Europos church, the earliest identified Christian house church (an ordinary home converted into a place of worship). One of these paintings, “Christ Healing the Paralytic,” depicts the first known visualization of Christ performing a miracle.
Yes and no. You may have noticed that we have listed the Pantheon as the oldest church in the world, which is true in the sense that it is the oldest building in the world that is currently a church and it is also the oldest building in the world dedicated to worship. What was the original purpose of the Pantheon? It is believed that the Pantheon was originally designed around 25 CE by statesman Marcus Agrippa (son-in-law of the first Roman emperor, Augustus) as a temple for the Roman gods. The temple’s name is derived from the Greek words pan, meaning “all,” and theos, meaning “gods.”
What is the Pantheon used for today? The Pantheon now serves as a Catholic church dedicated to St. Mary and the Martyrs. When did the Pantheon become a church? The Pantheon was gifted to the Catholic Church in 609 CE by Emperor Phocas. While most of the exterior and interior marble decoration was left untouched, all of the pagan sculptures were removed from the inside. So in a sense, it is the oldest Catholic church, it just happens to have a colorful history!
The oldest cathedral of all time is widely regarded to be the Etchmiadzin Cathedral in Etchmiadzin/Vagharshapat, Armenia, which was built in 301 CE by Armenia’s patron saint Gregory the Illuminator to honor the adoption of Christianity by King Tiridates III. The cathedral was built over the ruins of a pagan temple to symbolize this conversion.
The oldest site continuously used as a place of worship in Christianity is the nativity grotto where The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Palestine was built. The grotto is profoundly significant to various Christian denominations as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Emperor Constantine the Great commissioned the construction of the Church of the Nativity in 326 CE upon this holy site. In 2012, the Church of the Nativity was designated as a World Heritage Site and was the first to be listed by UNESCO under ‘Palestine.’ The basilica is also one of the oldest churches in the Holy Land.
While we cannot compare to history’s greatest architects who built the world’s oldest churches, the team at AAAStateofPlay is proud to have constructed many high-quality, customized church playgrounds and other playground projects across the United States. For example, check out the playground we built for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in our hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana! We customized the color palette and design so that it harmonized with the church’s aesthetic and ensured that children of all ages and abilities would be able to enjoy it. If you’re looking for affordable church playground equipment, give us a call at 1-877-826-2776. Pray and play all day!
Name + Year Built + Location + Denomination | Description | Current Status |
1. Pantheon Rome, Italy 25 AD Roman Catholic | Acted as a Roman temple until 609 AD when it was converted to the Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs. | Active |
2. Megiddo Church 230 AD Tel Megiddo, Israel Christianity | Archaeological site which preserves the foundations of one of the oldest church buildings. The purposeful concealment of the mosaics suggests that the site was abandoned during the Diocletianic Persecution, the final and most severe persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire. | Ruins |
3. Dura-Europos Church 233 AD Gharanij, Syria Early Christianity | Earliest identified Christian house church. Murals show the earliest known depictions of Jesus. | Ruins |
4. Monastery of Saint Thaddeus 239 AD Qareh Kelisa, Iraq Christianity | Legend has it the church was built as a shrine and final resting place of Saint Thaddeus (also known as Saint Jude) in 66 AD, but this claim is unsubstantiated. | Added to the UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2008. Little remains of the original structure. |
5. Aqaba Church 293 AD Aqaba, Jordan Early Christianity | Earliest known purpose-built Christian church (built specifically to serve as a place of worship). | Ruins |
6. Etchmiadzin Cathedral 301 AD Etchmiadzin/Vagharshapat, Armenia Armenian Apostolic | Often regarded as the oldest cathedral in the world. Built over a pagan temple, symbolizing the conversion from paganism to Christianity. | Active |
7. Cathedral of Saint Domnius Split, Croatia 305 AD Roman Catholic | Built initially as the mausoleum of emperor Diocletian. It is regarded as the oldest Catholic cathedral in the world that has continuously been in use within its original structure. | Active |
8. Rotunda of Galerius 306 AD Thessaloniki, Greece Greek Orthodox | Built as a mausoleum and temple for emperor Galerius Valerius Maximianus. Now serves as a museum and church. | Active |
9. Santi Cosma e Damiano Rome, Italy 309 AD Roman Catholic | Began as the Temple of Romulus. It is now one of the ancient churches known as tituli, a place where cardinals worship as patrons. | Active |
10. Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran 324 AD Rome, Italy Roman Catholic | Oldest Christian basilica. Founded after a generous donation from Constantine the Great to Pope Miltiades. Serves as the seat for the bishop of Rome, the pope. | Active |
11. Hagia Sophia 325 AD Iznik, Turkey Islamic | Converted into the Orhan Mosque after the fall of Nicaea to the Ottoman Turks in 1331. Continued to operate as a mosque until 1935 when it was converted to a museum under the regime of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. In 2011, it became a mosque once again. | Active |
12. Saint Sarkis Monastic Complex 325 AD Ma’loula, Syria Syriac Catholic | Built on the remains of a Pagan temple. It houses two of the oldest icons in the world, one depicting the Last Supper. It has an exceptionally rare horseshoe-shaped altar table, which was prohibited by the First Council of Nicaea. | Active Heavily damaged during Syrian civil war |
13. Church of the Nativity 326 AD Bethlehem, Palestine Catholic, Armenian Apostolic, Greek Orthodox | The grotto is the oldest site continuously used as a place of Christian worship and is widely regarded as the birthplace of Jesus. | Active |
14. Panagia Ekatontapiliani 326 AD Parikia, Greece Greek Orthodox | Although the name Ekatontapiliani translates to the “Church with the Hundred Doors”, it has only 99 doors. Legend has it the hundredth door will open once the church of Hagia Sofia becomes an Orthodox Church again. | Active |
15. Stavrovouni Monastery Larnaca, Cyprus 327 AD Greek Orthodox | Founded by Saint Helena (the mother of Constantine the Great) at the site of a religious miracle. After she was forced to leave behind the Holy Cross on Cyprus due to a shipwreck, the relic transferred to the peak of a high hill overnight and radiated a strong light. Now it is one of the few places where one can see a piece of the Holy Cross. | Active |
16. St. Peter's Basilica Vatican City 333 AD Roman Catholic | Largest church in the world and seat of Roman Catholicism. Little remains of the original structure, but the actual grave of St. Peter (who was martyred in Rome) is visible under the church. | Active |
17. Church of the Holy Sepulchre 335 AD Christian Quarter, Jerusalem Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic | Home to the shrine encasing the ancient cave where Jesus was entombed and resurrected. Considered the holiest site in Christianity. | Active |
18. Paromeos Monastery (also known as Baramos Monastery) 335 AD Wadi El Natrun, Egypt Coptic Orthodox | Contains five churches – the oldest is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and protects relics of Saint Moses the Black. | Active |
19. Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere 340 AD Rome, Italy Roman Catholic | Protects a relic from Saint Apollonia, her head, and a piece of the Holy Sponge (used to offer Jesus a drink of posca during the Crucifixion). | Active |
20. Cathedral of Trier Trier, Germany 340 AD Roman Catholic | Oldest cathedral in Germany. It has been rebuilt many times, but parts of the outer walls and bricks in the central nave are original. | Active |
21. Monastery of Saint Athanasius 344 AD Zlatna Livada, Bulgaria Bulgarian Orthodox | Oldest active monastery in Europe. Thousands of people gather at the church on May 2nd, the patron saint’s day. It was renovated in the 80s, but the cave where Saint Athanasius prayed and fasted remains. | Active |
22. Monastery of Saint Anthony 356 AD Eastern Desert, Egypt Coptic Orthodox | Located within an oasis, it is a self-contained village with gardens, a mill, a bakery, and five churches. Several hundred pilgrims visit it each day. | Active |
23. Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great 360 AD Wadi El Natrun, Egypt Coptic Orthodox | Built by St. Macarius the Great who served as a spiritual father for over 4,000 monks of different nationalities. It has been continuously inhabited since. | Active |
24. Mor Mattai Monastery 363 AD Mount Alfaf, Iraq Syriac Orthodox | Famous for the number of scholars and monks it has housed as well as its large library of manuscripts. | Active, serves as an archbishopric (office for an archbishop) |
25. Debre Sina 383 AD Anseba, Eritrea Eritrean Orthodox | Monastery adjacent to a large boulder where a vision of Mary was said to have been seen by shepherd girls. It is also the site of the first Holy Communion conducted in the Eritrean Orthodox Church and an important pilgrimage destination. | Active |
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Learn about the author: Nic Breedlove
