Church in Gaza City, Palestine
Church in Gaza City, State of Palestine
The Church of Saint Porphyrius (Greek: Εκκλησία του Αγίου Πορφυρίου, romanized: Ekklisía tou Agíou Porfyríou, IPA: [e.kliˈsi.a tu aˈʝi.u por.fiˈri.u]; Arabic: كَنِيسَة الْقِدِّيس بُرْفِيرْيُوس, romanized: Kanīsat al-Qiddīs Burfīryūs) is a Greek Orthodox church in Gaza City, State of Palestine. It belongs to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and is the oldest active church in the city and is said to be the third oldest church in the world.[1] 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.[2]
History
Byzantine, Crusader structure, evolution
A church was built on the site as early as AD 425,[3] but the construction of the current church was undertaken by the Crusaders in the 1150s or 1160s; they dedicated it to St Porphyrius. Records from the 15th century show that dedication of the church was also attested to the Virgin Mary.[4]
The church was renovated in 1856.[2] There are some cornices and bases that date back to the Crusader period, but much of the other portions are later additions.[5]
Hamas-Israel wars
In 2014, around 2,000 Palestinians fleeing Israeli bombings that had killed over 70 Palestinians took shelter in the Church of Saint Porphyrius complex. 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.[6][7]
The church complex was again used as refuge from Israeli bombardment during the 2023-24 Israel–Hamas war.[8]
2023 airstrike
On 19 October 2023, four Israeli missiles struck nearby the compound where at least 400–500 Palestinians were taking shelter.[9][10][11] The airstrike was confirmed by church officials to have struck two halls providing shelter to civilians, causing the collapse of at least one building.[12][13] Between 16–18 Palestinians were killed, with an unknown number of victims still trapped under rubble.[14][15]
Israeli officials confirmed responsibility for the airstrike, which they claimed was targeting a nearby Hamas command center, and further stated that the incident was "under review."[16][15][17]
Architecture
The Church of Saint Porphyrius has a rectangular shape, ending with a half-domed roofed temple.[18] 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.[4] 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).[4]
There are three entrances for the church: the western one has a portico with three marble columns supporting two pointed arches.[18] The bases of the marbles date from the Crusader era.[19] 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.[5] Its colossal walls are supported by horizontal marble and granite columns and pilasters.[2]
