Church of Saint Porphyrius
| Church of Saint Porphyrius | |
|---|---|
 Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza (2022) | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Greek Orthodox |
| District | Gaza Governorate |
| Region | Levant |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | not active since 10/19/2023 |
| Leadership | Archbishop Alexios of Tiberias |
| Year consecrated | 1150 |
| Location | |
| Location | Gaza, State of Palestine |
| Country | Palestine |
| Territory | Gaza Strip |
| Geographic coordinates | 31°30′12″N 34°27′44″E / 31.5033062°N 34.4620836°E |
| Architecture | |
| Completed | 1150–1160 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 22.9 meters (75 ft) |
| Width | 8.9 meters (29 ft) |
| Website | |
| https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064762893735&mibextid=LQQJ4d | |
The Church of Saint Porphyrius or St. Porphyrius Church (Greek: Ιερός Ναός του Αγίου Πορφυρίου; Arabic: كنيسة القديس برفيريوس) is a Greek Orthodox Christian church in Gaza City, State of Palestine, and the oldest active church in the city. Located in the Zaytun Quarter of the Old City of Gaza, it is named after the 5th-century bishop of Gaza, Saint Porphyrius, whose tomb is situated in the northeastern corner of the church.[1]
History
A church was built on the site as early as 425 CE,[2] but the construction of the current church was undertaken by the Crusaders in the 1150s or 1160s; they dedicated it St Porphyrius. Records from the 15th century show that dedication of the church was also attested to the Virgin Mary.[3] In 1856, it was renovated.[1] There are some cornices and bases that date back to the Crusader period, but much of the other portions are later additions.[4]
In 2014, around 2,000 Palestinians fleeing Israeli bombings that had killed over 70 Palestinians took shelter in the Church of Saint Porphyirius. During the bombings, families slept in the corridors and rooms of the church and adjoining buildings, where they also had meals and medical care provided to them.[5][6] The church was again used as refuge from Israeli bombardment during the 2023 Israel-Hamas War. [7] On 19 October 2023, an explosion occurred on the campus where dozens to hundreds of Palestinians were taking shelter.[8][9] At least two fatalities were confirmed.
Architecture
The Church of Saint Porphyrius has a rectangular shape, ending with a half-domed roofed temple.[10] Its pavement 1.8 meters (5.9 ft) below ground level in its southern part, and 3 meters (9.8 ft) below ground level at the northern end, suggesting that the present building was built atop of an earlier church structure.[3] The church consists of a single aisle made up of two groin-vaulted bays, with a projecting semi-circular apse preceded by a barrel-vaulted presbytery. Internally, the building measures 22.9 meters (75 ft) by 8.9 meters (29 ft), including the apse. It has architectural and constructional similarities with the former Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist (currently the Great Mosque of Gaza).[3]
There are three entrances for the church: the western one has a portico with three marble columns supporting two pointed arches.[10] The bases of the marbles date from the Crusader era.[11] The church can also be entered from its façade or from a side door which opens onto a modern gallery, equipped with stairs for going down to the level of the pavement.[4] Its colossal walls are supported by horizontal marble and granite columns and pilasters.[1]
References
- ^ a b c Dumper, 2007, p. 156.
- ^ Cohen and Lewis, 1978, p. 119
- ^ a b c Pringle, 1993, p. 216
- ^ a b Gaza – (Gaza, al -'Azzah) Archived 2011-07-23 at the Wayback Machine Studium Biblicum Franciscanum – Jerusalem. 2000-12-19.
- ^ "Greek Orthodox church in Gaza shelters Muslims fleeing war". Reuters. 2014-07-22. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
- ^ "Israel-Gaza conflict: Greek Orthodox church of St Porphyrios becomes a". The Independent. 2014-07-28. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
- ^ "'War knows no religion': Gaza's oldest church shelters Muslims, Christians". Al Jazeera. 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ "'Dozens of Palestinian feared dead after Orthodox Church Complex in Gaza targeted'". Roya News. 2023-10-19.
- ^ "'Blast Goes Off at Orthodox Church Campus in Gaza'". Wall Street Journal. 2023-10-19.
- ^ a b Travel in Gaza Archived 2013-08-23 at the Wayback Machine MidEastTravelling.
- ^ Meyer, 1907, p.111
Bibliography
- Clermont-Ganneau, C. S. (1896). [ARP] Archaeological Researches in Palestine 1873-1874, translated from the French by J. McFarlane. Vol. 2. London: Palestine Exploration Fund. (pp. 381-3
- Cohen, Amnon; Lewis, B. (1978). Population and Revenue in the Towns of Palestine in the Sixteenth Century. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-09375-X.
- Dumper, Michael; Abu-Lughod, J. (2007). Cities of the Middle East and North Africa: A Historical Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-57607-919-5.
- Meyer, Martin Abraham (1907). History of the city of Gaza: from the earliest times to the present day. Columbia University Press.
- Pringle, D. (1993). The Churches of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem: A-K (excluding Acre and Jerusalem). Vol. I. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-39036-2.
Religious sites under the Palestinian Authority | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem Governorate |  | |
| Hebron Governorate | ||
| Jenin Governorate | ||
| Jericho Governorate | ||
| Jerusalem Governorate | ||
| Nablus Governorate | ||
| Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate | ||
| Salfit Governorate | ||
| Tulkarm Governorate | ||
| Gaza Governorate | ||
† Access to the site is controlled by Israel. | ||