Jerusalem (Mount of Olives) - Gethsemane - St. Leontius

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Church Name, type, function

Site Name:

Jerusalem (Mount of Olives) - Gethsemane

Identification:

Alliata and Yeger (2022) suggested to identify this chapel, uncovered at Gethsemane near the tri-apsidal Agony Church, and dated by them to the 7th c., with St. Leontius church mentioned in the Georgian Lectionary (5th-8th c.), Georgian Calendar (both for Nov. 14th), Commemoratorium de casis Dei (808 CE) and Bernard the Monk (ca. 870 CE). The church was renovated in the Umayyad period (7th-8th c.), and abandoned in the 9th-10th c. According to the Georgian Lectionary and Georgian Calendar, this was a building of Aphronius, near Gethsemane. The deposition of the bones of St. Leontius were celebrated there on Nov. 14.

Church name:

St. Leontius

Dedication:

St. Leontius

Functional Type:

Memorial

Church type:

Chapel

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

172,813.00

1,131,840.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

222,817.00

631,841.00

Location:

Para-urban

Geographical region:

Jerusalem Mount of Olives

Topographical location:

Near the foot of Mt. of Olives. At the northern end of the Franciscan Gethsemane Garden and at the foot of the Franciscan Agony Church.

Bishopric:

Jerusalem

Source of knowledge

HideLiterary sources

Text number	Summary
1	A church in the valley of Jehoshaphat, in the country place that is called Gethsemane.
2	A church in honor of St. Leontius in the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
3	In the building of Aphronius near Gethsemane, commemoration of St. Leontius...
4	In the building of Aphronius near Gethsemane, commemoration of St. Leontius...

HideEpigraphy

Text number	Summary
1	A burial inscription near the apse.

Archaeological remains

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Alliata and Yeger	2020

History:

The chapel, dated to the first half of te 7th c., was identified with St. Leontius church mentioned in the Georgian Lectionary and Calendar (Nov. 14th, deposition of relics), Commemoratorium de casis Dei (808 CE), and Bernard the Wise (ca. 870 CE). According to the Georgian Lectionary and Georgian Calendar, this was a building of Aphronius, near Gethsemane.

Bibliograpy:

Alliata, E. and Yeger, D., 2022

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

An apse open to a nave paved by stone slabs. No bema was observed. The apse was mosaic paved and its wall was decorated by frescos. On the outside of the apse a simple cist tomb with a skeleton of an adult male was excavated. It is dated to the earliest stage of the church.

Description

Small finds

Detailed description

Structure

Architectural Evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Abandonment

Phase name (as published):

Strata IX

General outline:

Alliata and Yeger (2022) dated the chapel to the 7th c., pre-Muslim conquest.

Dating material:

Inscription dated to the Byzantine period

Phase date

Century:

7th c.

Within century:

First half

Phase name (as published):

Strata VIII

General outline:

The chapel was renovated and repaired in the Umayyad period (7th-8th c). Two sub-phases were observed. The first - of repairs and additions. The apse mosaics were replaced by stone slabs. A staircase was installed to the north. The inscription seems to belong to this sub-phase. In sub-phase B a cist tomb penetrated the limestone floor of Phase 1.

Phase date

Century:

7th-8th c.

Subphases

Subphase A Date

8th c.

Early

Subphase B Date

8th c.

Mid

General outline:

The structure was abandoned during the 2nd half of the 8th c., at the earliest.

Dating material:

A post reform Ummayad coin dated to the years 708-717 CE was uncovered under the inscription.

Phase date

Century:

8th c.

Within century:

Second half

Post Arab conquest history:

Modified

Post conquest history comments:

The chapel was renovated and modified in the Umayyad period (7th-8th c). Abandoned in the 2nd half of the 8th c., at the earliest. Perhapse later, in the 9th-10th c. It was not active anypore during the Crusaders period.