Members of the Provincial Synod, led by Archbishop Hosam, have visited recently unearthed archeological remains in Bahrain, that appear to be those of a Bishop's house and believed to date to the Fourth Century.
Canon Dr Don Binder, the Archbishop's Chaplain and himself a trained archeologist, accompanied the party. He writes:
"The Director of the excavations, Dr. Salman Al Mahari, explained that about five years ago the remains of an early mosque were detected in the middle of a Muslim cemetery in the Samaheej area of Bahrain. The local authorities requested it be excavated so that the mosque might be restored and put back into service.
After a few seasons of excavations led by the University of Exeter, archaeologists discovered an eight-room house beneath the mosque. Recovery of several crosses, a fish symbol, and the remnants of a Chi-Rho clearly indicated that it was a Christian home—likely that of the local bishop because of its size.
From ancient records, we know that a bishopric existed in the area from as early as the fourth century—and indeed, radio-carbon dating established the middle of that century as the foundation date of this structure.
Remarkably, when the local Muslim authorities learned the subterranean building was Christian, they abandoned plans for rebuilding the site as a mosque, stating that this site needed to be preserved and celebrated as part of Bahrain's early Christian heritage.
This generous cultural sensitivity to minority religions is one of the hallmarks of modern Bahraini society. As such, it serves as a shining example for the rest of the Middle East, including the present political leaders of the Holy Land."
Earlier the Synod had held two days of meetings at the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence in Manama, Bahrain, under the chairmanship of the Archbishop, and Diocesan Bishop Sean Semple had taken the opportunity to consecrate a new Christian cemetery in the Kingdom. Synod members attended an ecumenical lunch at Al Isa Cultural Centre in Bahrain—followed by a presentation on the recently consecrated New Cemetery.
A highlight of the visit to Bahrain was an audience with the King. Canon Binder writes:
King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa received us warmly and commended our peacebuilding work in the region. This is something His Majesty is renowned for in his kingdom, especially in promoting good relationships between different faiths through his Interfaith Cultural Centre, where our Provincial Synod is being held.
We thank King Hamad for his warm welcome and kind words of friendship, and we pray that his desire for peaceful relationships may spread beyond his kingdom and capture the hearts and minds of all the leaders and people of our war-torn region.
You may donate here to support the work of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf