4th century church found in Saudi

4th century church found in Saudi 13, October 2008

Posted by davidbroberts in Saudi Arabia.
Tags: Christianity in Saudi, Church, oldest church, religious freedom, Saudi Arabia
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Despite the fact that it is illegal in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to worship any other religion than Islam (or even the Sunni sect of Islam) it appears that people have wantonly or even carelessly found a church dating back to the 4th Century. According to the Aysrian International News Agency (who knew there was such an organisation?), the remains of the Church was found in Jubai in the east of the Kingdom back in the 1980′s by people attempting to dig their car out of a sand drift. They also confirm that should the date of the church prove to be correct, it would make it older than any church to be found in Europe. Despite the fact that the Saudi Ministry for Antiquities or Tourism (or whoever it may be…) is denying people visas to go and visit it, at least they are preserving it and not destroying the site, something that the more cynical might suggest would be entirely possible.