Ancient Secret Church Discovered Under ISIS-Occupied City in Syria

An ancient church that’s believed to have operated in secret has been discovered in Manbij, Syria, along with artifacts from the first centuries of Christianity’s existence and human remains.

For more than two years Manbij was occupied by the Islamic State terror group before it was liberated in 2016.

Abdulwahab Sheko, head of the Exploration Committee at the Ruins Council in Manbij, said in a Fox News report on Tuesday that the discoveries include the ruins of what appears to have been an ancient Christian church, including various crosses carved into the surviving columns and walls.

The church had been structured in such a way to allow people to flee through passages should they have been discovered.

The ruins include narrow tunnels, grooved shelves for light, a myriad of escape routes, hidden doors, and three jagged steps leading to what was once an altar.

Archaeologists believe the Christians were likely hiding from the Roman Empire, which had outlawed the religion in the early stages of its existence.

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Source: Christian Post