Mtskheta, Georgia In the earliest centuries of Christianity, the Caucusus region represented the northeasternmost frontier of Christian missionary efforts. The Eastern Orthodox Church did not grow much beyond the Black Sea, that expansion being largely undertaken by the Oriental and Assyrian churches. Mtskheta, the capital of the region throughout most of the Roman period, … [Read more...]
ST. MARK’S BASILICA
Venice, Italy Thanks to the efforts of a few dedicated and clever Venetian merchantmen, the city of Venice came into possession of one of the worlds’s greatest relics in the 9th century. The body of Mark, one of most important early Christians and author of one of the four Gospels of the New Testament, is among the very few New Testament corpses that almost certainly … [Read more...]
BASILICA OF ST. PAUL OUTSIDE THE WALL
Rome, Italy The Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Wall, so-called because of its location outside the old city walls of Rome, is one of the great churches of both Rome and Catholicism. Although overshadowed by St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican, it is nevertheless a beloved and popular pilgrimage destination. Aside from its antiquity, it is home to the grave of Paul, the … [Read more...]
BASILICA OF ST. THOMAS
Chennai, Tamil Nadu The Basilica of St. Thomas in India is one of the most important churches in Asia and yet one of Christanity’s least well-known major shrines. This is due in large part to geography, as it is strange to think that a small Christian enclave thousands of miles to the east of the Holy Land and Europe is in possession of one of only a handful of known … [Read more...]
CATHEDRAL OF SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
Santiago De Compostela, Spain The city of Santiago de Compostela is one of only a handful of cathedrals generally recognized to be the site of an apostolic tomb: that of James the Greater. According to a somewhat confusing tradition, the remains of James were brought here following his martyrdom at the hands of King Herod around the year 44 AD. The first cathedral was … [Read more...]
MONASTERY OF ST. THADDEUS
Maku, Iran This quiet, isolated monstary located in the wilderness hinterlands of ancient Armenia is believed to stand on the site of the martyrdom and/or burial of the Apostle Thaddeus, or Jude. It is revered by both the Oriental Orthodox and Assyrian Orthodox Churches, especially members of the Armenian Apostolic Church. For the last three decades, the monastery has been … [Read more...]
ST. PETER’S BASILICA
Vatican City St. Peter’s Basilica is the great cathedral of the Vatican, the world’s smallest sovereign state, and the last surviving remnant of an immense Christian Empire that once spread to every corner of Europe. In the aftermath of the Islamic conquest of Jerusalem in the 7th century, the site of Peter’s martyrdom and burial became the most popular, or at least the … [Read more...]
VEZELAY ABBEY
Vezelay, France Exactly how the relics of Mary Magdalene found their way to Vezelay in France is not certain, and in fact Vezelay is only one of a number of cities to claim them. Nevertheless popular opinion supports the Vezelay tradition, which seems to be unofficially recognized by the Roman Catholic Church. While neighboring Spain and Italy claim Apostolic tombs, the … [Read more...]
CHURCH OF AGIOS LAZAROS
Larnaka, Cyprus As Christianity began to spread across the Mediterranean world in the 1st century, the island of Cyprus became a natural stepping stone for early Christian missionary efforts. It was the first place Paul visited outside of the Levant, and one of the first places outside of Judea or Syria to receive the Gospel. Its reputation as an important Christian … [Read more...]
UMAYYAD MOSQUE
Damascus, Syria Long before Damascus rose to prominence as the Umayyad dynasty’s capital of the Islamic Caliphate, it was a major early center of the Christian faith. According to the New Testament, Christianity was introduced to Damascus by the disciple Ananias within a year or two after the Ascension, making Damascus one of the first major cities outside of Judea to be … [Read more...]