List of the oldest churches in the world

Christians were persecuted in what was then the Roman Empire. The services were mostly in houses and kept secret. The church buildings were built later.

1st – 2nd century

Built	Church building	history
1st century according to legend	St. Thaddäus Monastery , popularly known as the “Black Church”, Iran	is said to have been founded by Judas Thaddäus as the first church. Proven from the 5th century. Located 20 km south of Maku near Tschaldiran
approx. 1st century	Underground Church , Megiddo , Israel	Found in 2005 by an Israeli archaeological team below what is now a prison.
before 3rd century	Underground cave church , Rihab (Jordan)	underground church below St. George's Church (3rd century); Found in 2008 by a Jordanian archaeological team

3rd century

Built	Church building	history
232	House Church of Dura Europos , Syria	At that time, Dura Europos was a Greek city in what is now Syria, excavated from 1921 onwards by British, Belgian and US excavation teams

4th century

Built	Church building	history
at 300	Aqaba Basilica , Jordan	Discovered by an American team in the late 1990s
at 313	Sophienkirche (Serdica, today Sofia)	was built not far from the city's Roman amphitheater . In 342 the famous Council of Serdica took place in the Sophienkirche . The current building in the same place is much younger, so it is the oldest church in the same place.
possibly beginning 4th century	Etchmiadzin Cathedral , Armenia	Building activity under Nerses I (r. 353–373), new building in the 480s
4th century	Rotunda of St. George (Serdica, today Sofia)	The building was erected in the 3rd century when the city served as the residence of Emperors Galerius and Constantine the Great . It has been used as a church since 326, so it is probably the oldest church in operation within the original structure.
Beginning of the 4th century	Pizunda Cathedral , (in Kolchis , today Georgia)	In 325 the Basilica of St. Andrew was the cathedral church of Bishop Stratophilos of Pityus , participant of the First Council of Nicaea
at 325	Hagia Sophia (Constantinople, now Istanbul)	Rebuilt from 532 onwards, was used as a mosque from 1453 to 1935 after the Islamic conquest, then as a museum. It has been used as a mosque again since 2020.
at 330	Church of the Nativity (Bethlehem)	Built by Constantine the Great and Helena, a church was later built by Justian I on the site.
at 330	Holy Sepulcher (Jerusalem)	Construction started in 325 on behalf of Constantine the Great, inaugurated in 335
at 330	Hagia Irene (Constantinople, now Istanbul)	First Church of Constantinople, scene of the clashes between Arians and Trinitarians . The Second Ecumenical Council met in 381 in Hagia Irene . Church of the Patriarchate before Hagia Sophia was built.
Beginning 4th century	Qirqbize	oldest house church in northern Syria, preserved in ruins
at 340	Trier Cathedral (Trier)	Construction began in 340 under the Trier Bishop Maximin (329–346); the Trier Cathedral is the oldest church in Germany.
372	Fafertin , Syria	oldest three-aisled pillar basilica in the northern Syrian limestone massif
393	Basilica di San Lorenzo (Florence) , Italy	former cathedral of Florence , consecrated 393

5th and 6th centuries

Built	Church building	history
approx. 415	Hagia Sion , Jerusalem	built under Bishop John II, destroyed by Persian troops in 614. A church built on the same site in the 12th century was destroyed by Muslim troops in 1200. When today's Dormition Church was built in 1910, the foundations of the two old churches were found.
approx. 439	Mar Saba , near Bethlehem	Greek Orthodox monastery, at times in the 7th century 4000 monks lived there, today 10 monks live there.
between 548 and 565	Catherine's Monastery (Sinai) , Sinai	Greek Orthodox monastery, since 2002 the monastery has been a World Heritage Site.
approx. 5th century	Laurentiuskirche (Imst)	one of the oldest churches in Tyrol.
approx. 6th century	Debre Damo Monastery	Ethiopian Orthodox Monastery, the oldest church in Ethiopia.

Remarks

1. ↑ Researchers allegedly discover the oldest church in the world

Web links

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