Jerusalem (Greater Jerusalem) - CATHISMA; KATHISMA

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Church Name, type, function

Site Name:

Jerusalem (Greater Jerusalem)

Identification:

According to Christian tradition, the church is located in place where pregnant Mary was sitting to rest before reaching Bethlehem.

Church name:

CATHISMA; KATHISMA

Dedication:

Mary Theotokos

Functional Type:

Memorial

Church type:

Concentric - Octagonal

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

220.26

627.40

Coordinates, ICS system:

170.26

1,127.40

Location:

Para-urban

Geographical region:

Jerusalem (Greater Jerusalem)

Topographical location:

On plain ground overlooking the Judean Desert, next to the road leading from Jerusalem to Bethlehem.

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

4 km distant from Jerusalem.

Distance from nearest settlement:

4 km south of the Old City of Jerusalem.

Distance from Roman roads:

Next to the road, to its east.

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Jerusalem

Source of knowledge

Show HideLiterary sources

Text number	Summary
1	The young Theodosius joins the monastic community of the newly built church of the Cathisma, ca. AD 456.
2	Anecdote on the removal of the stone of the Cathisma by order of Grand Chamberlain Urbicius, from an itinerary of ca. AD 518-530.
3	Mention of the church where Mary stopped on her way to Bethlehem and where the body of Rachel lies at Ramah, from an itinerary of ca. AD 570.

Show HideEpigraphy

Text number	Summary
1	Mosaic building inscription mentioning Abba Basiliscus and John the recluse, in the upper pavement of one of the outer rooms.

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Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Avner R.	1990's

Bibliograpy:

Avner, R., 1998

Avner, R. and Pony, S., 2001

Avner, R., 2001

Shoemaker, S.J., 2001

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

The octagonal church was entirely excavated.

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Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Figures

Central space:

A natural rock protruded above floor level In the center of the church. The rock was surrounded by an inner octagon, forming the central space of the church.

Ambulatory:

The inner octagon was surrounded, in turn, by an octagonal ambulatory, being separated from the inner octagon by eight free standing corner pillasters and columns in between. The ambulatory was surrounded by an external octagonal unit, divided into rooms and chapels.

In the northern, southern and western sides of the external octagon were located rectangular entrance rooms. In the diagonal sides of this unit four chapels were located. Each chapel comprised of a rectangular room and an apse, generally oriented to the east. Each chapel had two doorways: one leading from the ambulatory and the other - in the wall against the apse, to an irregular shaped room. These rooms were located in the corners of the outer octagon, connecting between the side chapels and the rectangular entrance-rooms of the church.

Bema, chancel screen and apse:

In the eastern part of the external octagon were located the bema and the external apse. In Phase II the bema was extended to the west, into the ambulatorium. The extension was made by adding of two parallel walls with two staircases between them that led to the bema.

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Detailed description

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Orientation:

Facing east

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Atrium:

Water cistern:

Narthex:

East end:

External apse, polygonal

Central Apse Category:

apsidal

Bema type:

U shaped without lateral openings

Bema type text:

In Phase II the bema was extended to the west, into the ambulatory. The extension was made by adding two parallel walls with two staircases between them that led to the bema.

Elevation of Bema above nave:

2 steps up

Apse elevation:

Flush with the bema

Apse shape:

Horse-shoe shape

Architectural Evolution

General outline:

The church is an octagonal concentric building with a protruding apse on its east. It is 41 m long from east to west and 38 m wide from north to south. The plan is based on three concentric octagons, one inside the other and an external apse protruding to the east.

Dating material:

According to Cyril of Scythopolis, the church was built in 456 CE, by a widow named Ikelia. Three phases have been identified in the church. In each phase a new mosaic floor was laid above the previous one. No major architectonic changes occurred to the general octagonal plan of the church. The phases were dated mainly by coins. Phase I is dated to mid 5th century CE.

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Century:

5th c.

Within century:

Mid

General outline:

In Phase II the bema was extended to the west, into the ambulatory, by adding of two parallel walls with two staircases between them that led to the bema. The pillars and columns separating between the internal octagon and the ambulatory were replaced by narrower ones, a change that can point to an alternations on the roofing of the central octagon. To this phase also belongs a ceramic pipe that led water from an unknown source to a socket in the central rock.

Dating material:

Phase II is dated to the first half of the 6th century by the coins and mosaics.

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Century:

6th c.

Within century:

First half

General outline:

In Phase III, in the Umayyad period, a mehrab was added in the southern part of the ambulatory, indicating that the church started to function also as a mosque. The eastern wall of the apse was dismantled and a new structure of three rooms was attached to the church on the east, incorporating the southeastern wall of the apse.

Dating material:

Phase III is dated by coins and mosaics to the first half of the 8th century.

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Century:

8th c.

Within century:

First half

Post Arab conquest history:

Modified

Post conquest history comments:

The church was converted to a mosque that continued to exist until the 10th century.