{{Short description|Church in Gaza City, Palestine}} {{pp-extended|small=yes}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}} {{about|the church|the 2023 airstrike|Church of Saint Porphyrius airstrike}} {{Infobox church | name = Church of Saint Porphyrius | native_name = كنيسة القديس برفيريوس | native_name_lang = Arabic | image = Image:Tolerance_-_panoramio.jpg | caption = Saint Porphyrius Church and minaret | coordinates = {{Coord|31.5033|34.4621|region:PS_type:landmark|display=inline,title}} | country = [[State of Palestine]] | location = [[Gaza City]] | denomination = [[Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem]] | tradition = | dedication = [[Saint Porphyrius]] | consecrated = | completed = 1150s/1160s<ref name = DP6/> | length = {{convert|22.9|m|ft|sp=us}} (inside) | width = {{convert|8.9|m|ft|sp=us}} (inside) | archdiocese = Archdiocese of Tiberias{{cn|date=September 2025}} | archbishop = Alexios Moschonas{{when|date=September 2025}} }}
The '''Church of Saint Porphyrius''' ({{langx|el|Εκκλησία του Αγίου Πορφυρίου|Ekklisía tou Agíou Porfyríou}}, {{IPA|el|e.kliˈsi.a tu aˈʝi.u por.fiˈri.u|ipa}}; {{langx|ar|كَنِيسَة الْقِدِّيس بُرْفِيرْيُوس|translit=Kanīsat al-Qiddīs Burfīryūs|translit-std=ALA-LC}}) is a [[Greek Orthodox Church|Greek Orthodox]] church in [[Gaza City]], [[Palestine]]. It belongs to the [[Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem]] and is the oldest active church in the city. 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.{{sfn|Dumper|2007}}
On 19 October 2023, during the [[Gaza war]], a building from the church compound was damaged during an [[Church of Saint Porphyrius airstrike|Israeli airstrike]], killing 18 [[Palestinians |Palestinian]] civilians, but the church building itself was not damaged.<ref>{{cite news |last1= Lakritz |first1= Talia |last2= Makhoul |first2= Reem |title= Photos show Gaza's Church of Saint Porphyrius, one of the oldest churches in the world, after the complex was damaged by Israeli airstrikes |date= 24 October 2023 |newspaper=[[Business Insider]] |url= https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-gaza-war-church-airstrikes-damage-2023-10#debris-littered-the-grounds-of-the-church-as-search-and-rescue-teams-looked-for-survivors-8 |access-date= 23 September 2025}} Business Insider cites [[The New York Times]] as its source.</ref>
==History== ===Saint Porphyrius of Gaza=== The [[Early bishops of Jerusalem| Patriarch of Jerusalem]] appointed Saint Porphyrius (c. 347–420), when he was aged 45, as custodian of the [[True Cross| Venerable Wood of the Cross of the Lord]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=St. Porphyrius the Bishop of Gaza. Commemorated on February 26 |url=http://orthochristian.com/101423.html |access-date=11 February 2024 |website=OrthoChristian.Com}}</ref> He was described by the Roman Christian hagiographer [[Mark the Deacon]], Porphyrius' companion from 395 until 420, as the Christianizer of the "disobedient pagan people of Gaza."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chrysopoulos|first=Philip |title=Saint Porphyrius: The Bishop Who Brought Christianity to Gaza|date=30 October 2023|website=Greek Reporter |url=https://greekreporter.com/2023/10/30/saint-porphyrius-christianity-gaza/}}</ref> According to the legend, there was a terrible drought in Gaza that ended only after Saint Porphyrios and a group of 280 Christians prayed to God with "fasting, vigil and procession." This led to the conversion of 25 pagans, as rain in this region was considered God's greatest gift.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Philippides |first=Anastasios |date=26 February 2014 |title=Saint Porphyrios of Gaza and the World of Late Antiquity |access-date=11 February 2024 |website=Orthodox Christianity Then and Now |url=https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2014/02/saint-porphyrios-of-gaza-and-world-of.html |language=en|editor=John Sanidopoulos}}</ref>
===The Byzantine- and Crusader-period churches=== A church was built on the site as early as AD 425,{{sfn|Cohen|Lewis|1978|page=119}} and was [[Conversion of non-Islamic places of worship into mosques| converted into a mosque]] in the [[Muslim conquest of the Levant |7th century]].<ref name= desk>{{Cite magazine |department=News Desk |date=20 October 2023 |title=World's third-oldest church damaged in deadly Gaza rocket strike |url=https://www.artforum.com/news/worlds-third-oldest-church-damaged-deadly-gaza-rocket-strike-518096/ |access-date=11 February 2024 |magazine= Artforum |language=en-US}}</ref>
The current church was built by the [[Kingdom of Jerusalem |Crusaders]] in the 1150s or 1160s; they probably dedicated it to St Porphyrius as well.<ref name= desk/> Records from the 15th century however show that the church was also dedicated to the [[Virgin Mary]].<ref name= DP6>{{harvnb|Pringle|1993|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=BgQ6AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA216 216]}}</ref>
The church was renovated in 1856.{{sfn|Dumper|2007}} [[File:Église Saint-Porphyre.jpg|thumb|The church and cemetery in 1922, view from SW]]
===Gaza wars=== {{see also|Church of Saint Porphyrius airstrike}}
In the [[2014 Gaza War]], around 2,000 Palestinians slept in the church compound during Israeli bombings.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 July 2014 |title=Greek Orthodox church in Gaza shelters Muslims fleeing war |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-palestinians-israel-gaza-church-idUSKBN0FR1O520140722 |access-date=29 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=28 July 2014 |title=Israel-Gaza conflict: Greek Orthodox church of St Porphyrios becomes a |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israelgaza-conflict-greek-orthodox-church-of-st-porphyrios-becomes-a-small-refuge-in-the-heart-of-gaza-s-bloodletting-9631777.html |access-date=29 November 2022 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>
The church premises were again used as refuge for hundreds of civilians during the [[Gaza war]],<ref>{{Cite news |date= 16 October 2023 |title='War knows no religion': Gaza's oldest church shelters Muslims, Christians |language=en |work=Al Jazeera |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/16/war-knows-no-religion-gazas-oldest-church-shelters-muslims-christians |access-date=16 October 2023}}</ref> which started on [[October 7, 2023]]. On 19 October 2023, it was the site of an [[Church of Saint Porphyrius airstrike|airstrike by the Israeli Air Force]],<ref>{{Cite news|date=20 October 2023|title=Orthodox church says it was hit by Israeli air strike in Gaza|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/orthodox-church-says-it-was-hit-by-israeli-air-strike-gaza-2023-10-20/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=19 October 2023|title='Dozens of Palestinian feared dead after Orthodox Church Complex in Gaza targeted'|work=Roya News|url=https://en.royanews.tv/news/45536/2023-10-19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=19 October 2023|title='Blast Goes Off at Orthodox Church Campus in Gaza'|work=Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/israel-hamas-war-biden/card/blast-goes-off-at-orthodox-church-campus-in-gaza-oWLl1hHFxw5GmKWdXIIm}}</ref> which hit two halls sheltering Gazan Palestinian Muslims and Christians, causing the collapse of at least one building,<ref>{{Cite news|date=20 October 2023|title=Historic church sheltering civilians struck in deadly Gaza City blast|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/10/20/gaza-church-strike-saint-porphyrius/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=19 October 2023|title=Greek Orthodox church building collapses in Gaza due to 'Israeli airstrikes'|work=Roya News|url=https://en.royanews.tv/news/45535/2023-10-19}}</ref> and killed 18 civilians. Over 450 Palestinians had been sheltering there.<ref>{{cite web |title=Israel/OPT: 'Nowhere safe in Gaza': Unlawful Israeli strikes illustrate callous disregard for Palestinian lives |date=20 November 2023 |publisher= Amnesty International |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/11/israel-opt-nowhere-safe-in-gaza-unlawful-israeli-strikes-illustrate-callous-disregard-for-palestinian-lives/ |access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> A church annex was targeted again in July 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=WCC condemns attacks on St Porphyrius Church in Gaza and Golan Heights |url=https://www.oikoumene.org/news/wcc-condemns-attacks-on-st-porphyrius-church-in-gaza-and-golan-heights |website=World Council of Churches |access-date=18 August 2024}}</ref>
==Description== [[File:Saint Porphyrius Church Archaeological researches in Palestine during the years 1873-1874 (2).png|thumb|Elevation from west, Clermont-Ganneau (1873/74). There is no portico depicted.]]
The church pavement is far below ground level ({{convert|1.8|m|ft|sp=us}} in its southern part, and {{convert|3|m|ft|sp=us}} on the northern side), suggesting that the present building was built atop of an earlier church structure.<ref name= DP6/> There are some [[cornice]]s and bases that date back to the [[Timeline of the Palestine region#Crusader period| Crusader period]], but much of the other portions are later additions.<ref name= SBF>Alliata, Eugenio; de Luca, Stefano (19 December 2000). [http://www.christusrex.net/www1/ofm/mad/discussion/123discuss.html "Gaza – (Gaza, al-'Azzah)"] ''Christus Rex''. Jerusalem: Studium Biblicum Franciscanum. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723041959/http://www.christusrex.net/www1/ofm/mad/discussion/123discuss.html |date=23 July 2011 }}</ref>
[[File:Saint Porphyrius Church Archaeological researches in Palestine during the years 1873-1874 (4).png|thumb|Elevation from south, Clermont-Ganneau (1873/74)]]
The church is rectangular in shape, with a [[half-dome]] roof over the altar apse.<ref name= MET>{{cite web |title= Gaza - Culture: The Greek Orthodox Church |publisher= MidEast Travelling |url= http://www.mideasttravelling.net/palestine/gaza/gaza_culture.htm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130823050026/http://www.mideasttravelling.net/palestine/gaza/gaza_culture.htm |archive-date=23 August 2013}} </ref> It consists of a single [[aisle]] made up of two [[groin-vault]]ed [[Bay (architecture) |bays]], with a projecting semi-circular [[apse]] preceded by a [[barrel-vault]]ed [[Chancel| presbytery]]. Internally, the building measures {{convert|22.9|m|ft|sp=us}} by {{convert|8.9|m|ft|sp=us}}, including the apse. It has architectural and constructional similarities with the Crusader-period former Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist (currently the [[Great Mosque of Gaza]]).<ref name= DP6/>
The church has three entrances. The main entrance is at the western [[façade]] and has a [[portico]] with three [[marble]] columns supporting two pointed arches.<ref name= MET/> The column bases date to the Crusader period.{{sfn|Meyer|1907|page=[https://archive.org/stream/historyofcityofg00meyeuoft#page/111/mode/1up 111]}} A second entrance passes through the former medieval window on the southern side of the west bay, enlarged to become a door opening onto a women's gallery added in the modern period, equipped with stairs for going down to the level of the pavement.<ref name= SBF/><ref name = DP9>{{harvnb|Pringle|1993|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=BgQ6AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA219 219]}}</ref> The third entrance, which offers access from the north side toward the eastern bay, seems to also be of recent date in its current form, probably dating to the 1856 restoration, but retains several medieval elements.<ref name= DP9/> [[File:Saint Porphyrius Church, Gaza City.jpg|thumb|Southern wall with modern entrance to women's gallery (2022)]]
The thick-walled structure is supported by horizontal marble and [[granite]] columns and [[pilaster]]s.{{sfn|Dumper|2007}}
[[File:Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza- Gaza war 2023-2025.jpg|thumb|Kuwaitis visiting the church during wartime (2 Dec. 2024)]]
== See also == * [[Destruction of cultural heritage during the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip]] * [[Gaza Baptist Church]], Protestant church of Gaza City * [[Holy Family Church, Gaza]], Latin Catholic church of Gaza City * [[List of archaeological sites in the Gaza Strip]] * [[List of oldest church buildings]]
==References== {{Reflist|33em}}
==Bibliography== {{Refbegin}} *{{cite book |last=Clermont-Ganneau |first=C. S. |author-link=Charles Simon Clermont-Ganneau |title=[ARP] Archaeological Researches in Palestine 1873-1874, translated from the French by J. McFarlane |url=https://archive.org/details/archaeologicalre02cler |volume=2 |year=1896 |publisher=Palestine Exploration Fund |location=London}} (pp. [https://archive.org/stream/archaeologicalre02cler#page/381/mode/1up 381]-3 *{{cite book |last1=Cohen |first1=Amnon |last2=Lewis |first2=Bernard |author-link2=Bernard Lewis |title=Population and Revenue in the Towns of Palestine in the Sixteenth Century |publisher=Princeton University Press |year=1978 |isbn=0-691-09375-X}} *{{cite book |last= Dumper |first= Michael |chapter= Gaza |title= Cities of the Middle East and North Africa: A Historical Encyclopedia |editor-last= Dumper |editor-first= Michael R. T. |editor-last2= Stanley |editor-first2= Bruce E. |year= 2007 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-57607-919-5|page=156 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3SapTk5iGDkC&pg=PA156}} *{{cite book |title=History of the city of Gaza: from the earliest times to the present day |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofcityofg00meyeuoft |first1=Martin Abraham |last1=Meyer |year=1907 |author-link=Martin A. Meyer |publisher=Columbia University Press}} *{{cite book |last=Pringle |first=Denys |author-link=Denys Pringle |chapter= No. 93 Church (of Saint Porphyrius) |title=The Churches of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem: A-K (excluding Acre and Jerusalem) |volume=I |year=1993 |pages= 216–219 |isbn=0-521-39036-2 |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BgQ6AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA216}} {{Refend}}
==External links== {{Commons category-inline}} * [https://gazahistoire.hypotheses.org/1201 Église Saint-Porphyre] (in French), part of Gaza, inventaire d’un patrimoine bombardé
{{Gaza City}} {{whole Gaza Strip}} {{Religious sites in Palestine}}
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1150]] [[Category:Churches completed in the 1150s]] [[Category:12th-century Eastern Orthodox church buildings]] [[Category:Churches in the Gaza Strip]] [[Category:Greek Orthodox church buildings]] [[Category:Eastern Orthodox church buildings in Palestine]] [[Category:Church buildings in the Kingdom of Jerusalem]] [[Category:Zaytun Quarter]] [[Category:Archaeological sites in the Gaza Strip]]