The designation of oldest churches in the world requires careful use of definitions, and should be divided into 2 parts. Oldest in the sense of oldest surviving building; and oldest in the sense of congregation of the oldest Christian church.
Even here, there is the distinction between old church buildings that have been in continuous use as churches, and those that have been converted to other purposes; and between buildings that have been in continuous use as churches and those that have been closed for many decades.
In terms of congregations, they are differentiated between first established congregations that have been in continuous existence, and first congregations that have ceased to exist.
10.-Basilica of the Nativity
The Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem (Palestine) is one of the oldest continuously functioning churches in the world. The structure is built over the cave that tradition marks as the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth, and is thus considered sacred by Christians. The place is also revered by followers of Islam, as well as being one of the most famous churches in the world.
9.-Orthodox Monastery of Santa Catarina
The Orthodox Monastery of Saint Catherine, Mount Sinai, on the Sinai Peninsula, at the mouth of the gorge at the foot of Mount Sinai. The monastery is Orthodox and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
8.-Hagia Sophia Basilica
Hagia Sophia is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey. From the date of its consecration in 360 until 1453, it served as the cathedral of Constantinople, except between 1204 and 1261, when it was converted to a Roman Catholic cathedral under the Latin Patriarch of Constantinople of the Western Crusader established as the Latin Empire. The building was a mosque from May 29, 1453 until 1934, when it was secularized. And it opened as a museum on February 1935, XNUMX.
7.-Church of Saint Simeon Stylite
The Church of Saint Symeon Stylite is a well-preserved church dating back to the 5th century, located around 30 km northwest of Aleppo, Syria. It is built on the site of the pillar of Saint Simeon Stylite, a famous hermit monk. It is popularly known as Qalat Seman the "Fortress of Simeon".
6.-Cathedral of Trier
Trier Cathedral is a church in Trier, Germany. It is the oldest cathedral in the country. The construction is notable for its extremely long service life under multiple different eras. And each contributed some element to its design, including the center of the main chapel being made of Roman bricks laid under the direction of Saint Helena, resulting in a cathedral built gradually, rather than rebuilt in different eras. Its dimensions, 112.5 by 41 m, make it the largest church structure in Trier. Since 1986 it has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
5.-Church of Santa Maria de Zion
The Church of Saint Mary of Zion of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the most important church in Ethiopia. The original church is believed to have been built during the reign of Ezana, Ethiopia's first Christian emperor, during the 4th century AD, and has been rebuilt several times since then.
4.-Basílica of Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains
This basilica is a historic church building in Metz, France, which was built in 380 AD and is one of the oldest churches in Europe. The building was originally developed as part of a Roman spa complex, but the structure was converted to use as a church in the 7th century to become the chapel of the Benedictine monastery.
A new part was built in the 1000s with new interior renovations. In the 16th century, the building became a warehouse and remained so until the 1970s, when it was restored and opened for concerts and exhibitions.
3.- Monastery of Santo Antonio
It is a Coptic Orthodox monastery located in an oasis in the eastern desert of Egypt. Hidden deep in the Red Sea Mountains, it is located 334 km southeast of Cairo. It is one of the oldest monasteries in the world, and was established by the followers of Saint Anthony, who is considered the first ascetic monk.
2.- Igreja Megiddo
The Megiddo church in Tel Megiddo, Israel, is one of the oldest church buildings ever discovered by archaeologists, dating to the 3rd century AD In 2005, Israeli archaeologist Yotam Tepper of Tel-Aviv University discovered the remains of a church believed to be from the 3rd century, a time when Christians were still persecuted by the Roman Empire.
The remains were found in Megiddo Prison, which is located a few hundred meters south of Tel. Among the discoveries is a large mosaic measuring approximately 54 square meters, with a Greek inscription stating that the church is consecrated to “God Jesus Christ”. The mosaic is very well preserved and has geometric figures and images of fish, an early Christian symbol.
1.-Church of Dura Europos
In this selection of the oldest churches in the world, the church of Dura Europos is the oldest identified Christian church. It is located in Dura-Europos in Syria and dates to 235 AD The site of Dura Europos, an ancient city and walled fortification, was largely excavated in the 1920s and 1930s by French and American teams. Within the archaeological site, the church is located by the seventeenth tower and preserved by the same defensive infill that saved the nearby synagogue of Dura Europos.
