Remains of Ancient Ritual Bath Church Discovered Near Jerusalem

Archaeologists have recently discovered the remains of an ancient ritual bath church at a place near Jerusalem.

Key Points

• Gethsemane is the place where the ancient ritual bath church remains have been found.
• As per the Bible, it is the place where Jesus was betrayed by Judas and arrested.
• The ancient ritual bath church remains were found by a team of archaeologists from the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum and the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).
• As per the archaeologists, it is a 2,000-year-old ritual bath and is the only known archaeological discovery at Gethsemane from the time when Jesus lived.
• The ancient ritual bath is known as a “mikveh”.
• The ancient bath has been discovered along with the building which suggests the existence of an agricultural industry at the place; most probably an oil or wine-producing industry.
• Also, the name Gethsemane has also been derived from a Hebrew word for “oil press”.
• A 1,500-year-old church discovered at the site is expected to be built when the Byzantine Empire ruled the area.
• The church is made of finely carved stone, with a Greek inscription on it.

As per the Bible, Jesus was arrested by a crowd including Judas at Gethsemane. Jesus was then brought before the Roman prefect of Judea, Pontius Pilate, who tried Jesus and sentenced him to be crucified. This makes Gethsemane very important for many Christians today also.