
'Greatest religious discovery since Dead Sea Scrolls' rewrites religious history
An ancient inscription unearthed beneath an Israeli prison floor is creating waves, being dubbed "the greatest discovery since the Dead Sea Scrolls" and as the earliest known proclamation of Jesus as divine.
The mosaic, which dates back 1,800 years and was found by a jailbird at Megiddo prison, features the Greek inscription: "The god-loving Akeptous has offered the table to God Jesus Christ as a memorial."
This colossal 581-square-foot artwork was part of the globe's oldest prayer hall around 230 AD, cementing the fact that early Christians recognised Jesus as the son of God.
The stunning Megiddo Mosaic also showcases some of the first imagery of fish, with scholars suggesting it refers to the New Testament tale where Jesus miraculously feeds 5,000 with two fish. Although initially discovered back in 2005, the mosaic had been hidden under the penitentiary floors until recently; it's currently on loan to a Washington DC museum until next month.
As Carlos Campo, head honcho of the museum, hailed the find as "the greatest discovery since the Dead Sea Scrolls," his fellow experts claimed it to be "the most important archaeological find for understanding early Christianity.", reports the Mirror US.
"We truly are among the first people to ever see this, to experience what almost 2,000 years ago was put together by a man named Brutius, the incredible craftsman who laid the flooring here," remarked Campo at the exhibit's launch. For the time being, the Megiddo Mosaic takes pride of place at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, up until July 2025.
Alegre Savariego, the exhibition's curator, said: "The mosaic presents groundbreaking physical evidence of the practices and beliefs of early Christians, including the first archaeological instance of the phrase, 'God Jesus Christ.'".
The Megiddo Mosaic came to light in the historically significant Jezreel Valley, believed by Christians as the site where the apocalyptic battle of Armageddon described in the Book of Revelations will unfold.
After four years of digs, archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) revealed a 581-square-foot mosaic flooring. The remarkable aspect of this mosaic is that it carries the name of the Roman officer who commissioned it during the time Judea was under Roman rule.
The find has prompted scholars to propose the possibility of some level of peaceful coexistence between Romans and Christians, which goes against the common narrative of conflict and turmoil of the era. The mosaic contains an inscription that reads: "Gaianus, a Roman officer, having sought honor, from his own money, has made the mosaic."
Bolstering this notion of potential harmony, excavators found a Roman encampment in close proximity. It appears that the place of worship, or church, was deserted and hidden as a result of the relocation of the Roman Empire's Sixth Legion to the region modern-day known as Transjordan, to the east of the Jordan River.
In addition to Akeptous, who was acknowledged for her gift of a table to the prayer hall, the mosaic's inscription also requests remembrance for four other women: Primilla, Cyriaca, Dorothea, and Chreste. However, the identity of these women remains a mystery.
Bobby Duke, director of the Scholars Initiative at the Museum of the Bible, highlighted the significance of the discovery, stating, "This is arguably one of the most important archaeological discoveries for understanding the early Christian church."
The mosaic features some of the earliest known depictions of fish as a symbol of Christianity, echoing the biblical account in Luke 9:16, where Jesus multiplied two fish to feed a crowd of 5,000 people.
Duke further said: "For example, the mosaic underscores the crucial role of women in the early church by the fact that five women are mentioned in it by name."
He added: "Truly, the mosaic presents a wealth of new data for church historians, like the Dead Sea Scrolls did for Bible scholars."
The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) pointed out that there is no information available to explain why these women were singled out, which is unusual since it was not common for individuals to be specifically remembered by God. "While they were clearly important to the community, the inscription does not tell us whether they were patrons of the community (like Akeptous), or martyrs, or honored for some other reason."
Following the significant archaeological find, the IAA meticulously cleaned and restored the mosaic.
The floor was then carefully disassembled into 11 crates that were shipped to the US earlier this year for an exhibition titled The Megiddo Mosaic: Foundations of Faith.
"You couldn't just lift the whole floor up," Duke clarified. "So ... they very intricately cut different pieces of the mosaic so that they didn't destroy any of the artwork. So, not all the pieces were the same size. So, even one of the crates that came into this gallery was about a thousand pounds."
Once the exhibition concludes, the Megiddo mosaic will be returned to Israel and displayed permanently at the exact location where it was unearthed. Upon the mosaic's return, the inmates at Megiddo will be moved to another prison.
The museum also had to admit that several of the Dead Sea Scroll fragments displayed in its collection were modern fakes.
"While some of the founders and actions of the museum are questionable, and the museum clearly has a very ideological agenda, I don't think a 'purist' agenda is very helpful here," Prof. Aren Maeir, an archaeologist at Bar-Ilan University, told Haaretz.com..
"As long as everything is done by the letter of the law, I see no problem. ".
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Irish Daily Mirror
16 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
'Greatest religious discovery since Dead Sea Scrolls' rewrites religious history
An ancient inscription unearthed beneath an Israeli prison floor is creating waves, being dubbed "the greatest discovery since the Dead Sea Scrolls" and as the earliest known proclamation of Jesus as divine. The mosaic, which dates back 1,800 years and was found by a jailbird at Megiddo prison, features the Greek inscription: "The god-loving Akeptous has offered the table to God Jesus Christ as a memorial." This colossal 581-square-foot artwork was part of the globe's oldest prayer hall around 230 AD, cementing the fact that early Christians recognised Jesus as the son of God. The stunning Megiddo Mosaic also showcases some of the first imagery of fish, with scholars suggesting it refers to the New Testament tale where Jesus miraculously feeds 5,000 with two fish. Although initially discovered back in 2005, the mosaic had been hidden under the penitentiary floors until recently; it's currently on loan to a Washington DC museum until next month. As Carlos Campo, head honcho of the museum, hailed the find as "the greatest discovery since the Dead Sea Scrolls," his fellow experts claimed it to be "the most important archaeological find for understanding early Christianity.", reports the Mirror US. "We truly are among the first people to ever see this, to experience what almost 2,000 years ago was put together by a man named Brutius, the incredible craftsman who laid the flooring here," remarked Campo at the exhibit's launch. For the time being, the Megiddo Mosaic takes pride of place at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, up until July 2025. Alegre Savariego, the exhibition's curator, said: "The mosaic presents groundbreaking physical evidence of the practices and beliefs of early Christians, including the first archaeological instance of the phrase, 'God Jesus Christ.'". The Megiddo Mosaic came to light in the historically significant Jezreel Valley, believed by Christians as the site where the apocalyptic battle of Armageddon described in the Book of Revelations will unfold. After four years of digs, archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) revealed a 581-square-foot mosaic flooring. The remarkable aspect of this mosaic is that it carries the name of the Roman officer who commissioned it during the time Judea was under Roman rule. The find has prompted scholars to propose the possibility of some level of peaceful coexistence between Romans and Christians, which goes against the common narrative of conflict and turmoil of the era. The mosaic contains an inscription that reads: "Gaianus, a Roman officer, having sought honor, from his own money, has made the mosaic." Bolstering this notion of potential harmony, excavators found a Roman encampment in close proximity. It appears that the place of worship, or church, was deserted and hidden as a result of the relocation of the Roman Empire's Sixth Legion to the region modern-day known as Transjordan, to the east of the Jordan River. In addition to Akeptous, who was acknowledged for her gift of a table to the prayer hall, the mosaic's inscription also requests remembrance for four other women: Primilla, Cyriaca, Dorothea, and Chreste. However, the identity of these women remains a mystery. Bobby Duke, director of the Scholars Initiative at the Museum of the Bible, highlighted the significance of the discovery, stating, "This is arguably one of the most important archaeological discoveries for understanding the early Christian church." The mosaic features some of the earliest known depictions of fish as a symbol of Christianity, echoing the biblical account in Luke 9:16, where Jesus multiplied two fish to feed a crowd of 5,000 people. Duke further said: "For example, the mosaic underscores the crucial role of women in the early church by the fact that five women are mentioned in it by name." He added: "Truly, the mosaic presents a wealth of new data for church historians, like the Dead Sea Scrolls did for Bible scholars." The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) pointed out that there is no information available to explain why these women were singled out, which is unusual since it was not common for individuals to be specifically remembered by God. "While they were clearly important to the community, the inscription does not tell us whether they were patrons of the community (like Akeptous), or martyrs, or honored for some other reason." Following the significant archaeological find, the IAA meticulously cleaned and restored the mosaic. The floor was then carefully disassembled into 11 crates that were shipped to the US earlier this year for an exhibition titled The Megiddo Mosaic: Foundations of Faith. "You couldn't just lift the whole floor up," Duke clarified. "So ... they very intricately cut different pieces of the mosaic so that they didn't destroy any of the artwork. So, not all the pieces were the same size. So, even one of the crates that came into this gallery was about a thousand pounds." Once the exhibition concludes, the Megiddo mosaic will be returned to Israel and displayed permanently at the exact location where it was unearthed. Upon the mosaic's return, the inmates at Megiddo will be moved to another prison. The museum also had to admit that several of the Dead Sea Scroll fragments displayed in its collection were modern fakes. "While some of the founders and actions of the museum are questionable, and the museum clearly has a very ideological agenda, I don't think a 'purist' agenda is very helpful here," Prof. Aren Maeir, an archaeologist at Bar-Ilan University, told "As long as everything is done by the letter of the law, I see no problem. ".


Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Eid under way in Gaza Strip with prayers outside destroyed mosques
Palestinians across the war-ravaged Gaza Strip marked the start of one of Islam's most important holidays with prayers outside destroyed mosques and homes early on Friday, with little hope the war with Israel will end soon. With much of Gaza in rubble, men and children were forced to hold the traditional Eid al-Adha prayers in the open air and with food supplies dwindling, families were having to make do with what they could scrape together for the three-day feast. 'This is the worst feast that the Palestinian people have experienced because of the unjust war against the Palestinian people,' said Kamel Emran after attending prayers in the southern city of Khan Younis. 'There is no food, no flour, no shelter, no mosques, no homes, no mattresses … The conditions are very, very harsh.' Palestinians gather for Eid al-Adha prayers beside the ruins of Al-Kanz mosque in Gaza City (Jehad Alshrafi/AP/PA) The Islamic holiday begins on the 10th day of the Islamic lunar month of Dhul-Hijja, during the Hajj season in Saudi Arabia. For the second year, Muslims in Gaza were not able to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform the traditional pilgrimage. In northern Gaza on Friday, Israel issued a new warning to civilians saying the military was about to undertake intensive operations in an area after it said rockets were fired toward Israel from the sector. The war broke out on October 7 2023 when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 hostages. They are still holding 56 hostages, around a third of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israeli forces have rescued eight living hostages from Gaza and recovered dozens of bodies. Palestinians offer Eid al-Adha prayers beside the ruins of a mosque in Deir al-Balah, Gaza (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP/PA) Since then, Israel has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians in its military campaign, primarily women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians or combatants in its figures. The offensive has destroyed large parts of Gaza and displaced around 90% of its population of roughly two million Palestinians. After blocking all food and aid from entering Gaza for more than two months, Israel began allowing a trickle of supplies to enter for the UN several weeks ago. But the UN says it has been unable to distribute much of the aid because of Israeli military restrictions on movements and because roads that the military designates for its trucks to use are unsafe and vulnerable to looters. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation in Rome said on Thursday that Gaza's people are projected to fall into acute food insecurity by September, with nearly 500,000 people experiencing extreme food deprivation, leading to malnutrition and starvation. 'This means the risk of famine is really touching the whole of the Gaza Strip,' Rein Paulson, director of the FAO office of emergencies and resilience, said in an interview.


Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Irish Independent
Around the Districts: Ballyhea, Boherbue, Meelin, Rockchapel and Western Duhallow
Church news Mass Times – Thursday, June 5, 10 a.m.; Friday, June 6, 10 a.m.; Saturday, June 7, 10 a.m. and 7.30 p.m.; Sunday, June 8, 8.30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will take place on Thursday after 10 a.m. Mass. Holy Communion – Only those receiving Holy Communion should approach the Altar and only on a seat-by-seat basis. Anniversary Masses – Booked Anniversary Masses are accepted on the understanding that Funeral Masses and month's mind Masses take precedence. Month of June – The month of June dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Feastdays for the coming week – Thursday, June 5, St Boniface, bishop and martyr; Friday, June 6, St Norbert, bishop; Saturday, June 7, St Colman, bishop; Sunday, June 8, Pentecost Sunday. New Crucifix – The parish has acquired a large out-door Crucifix from the Redemptorist Monastery in Esker, Co. Galway. To defray the purchase and transport costs a subscription list is now open for anyone who would like to support this initiative. Subscriptions may be left into the sacristy at any time. Collectors for June – 8.30 a.m. Mass: Paudie Morrissey. 11 a.m. Mass: Tadgh Mortell. Readers – Saturday, June 7: Ger. O'Shea. Sunday, June 8: Audrey Morrissey. Saturday, June 14: Louisa Carroll. Sunday, June 15: Mary Byrne. Church Altar Flower Arrangers – Saturday, June 7, and Saturday, June 14: Bernie Leahy. Irish Catholic Newspaper/Sacred Heart Messenger – The Irish Catholic newspaper and the Sacred Heart Messenger are available in the Porch for purchase. Irish Catholic €3, Sacred Heart Messenger €2. Pilgrimage to Medjugorje – Leaving Cork on August 20 to September 4. Early booking offers available. Money can be paid in instalments to spread out the cost. For more information, please contact Mary Cott, Group Leader 086 1220850. Church gate collections – No church gate collection taken up at St Mary's Church, Ballyhea is endorsed by the parish. Any group or organisation intending to collect outside the church gates are asked to present copies of their permits in the sacristy, together with copies of letters of authorisation of those collecting on their behalf. This should be done before the collection commences. Parent and Toddler Group The parent and Toddler Group in Ballyhea is now meeting Friday mornings from 10 a.m. to midday in the Parish Hall. Coffee and tea is provided. €3 donation please. Ballyhea National School enrolment. Application forms (Admission notice) for September 2025 are available on the School Website ( or by calling to the office at Ballyhea NS Completed forms to be returned as soon as possible. Prospective parents may contact the school at 083 1475817 for further information or to facilitate a school visit. GAA club news Lotto – Get your tickets before 5 p.m. on Saturday from Costcutters Ballyhea, Corbett Court, The Idle Hour or from any of the ticket sellers or they can be purchased online at Thank you for your continued support. The first three numbers of the National Lottery Main Draw will be the jackpot numbers. If a number higher than 42 is drawn in the first three, the draw will continue with the next number drawn under 42. The club appreciates the support of lottery players and supporters. Groundskeeper Position – A part-time position is available as Groundskeeper for 19.5 hours per week at Ballyhea GAA Must qualify for Community Employment. Please contact Kathleen at 086 836 97 64 for further details. Club membership – Membership fees for 2025 are currently being taken. Anyone wishing to pay online can do so by going to and selecting Ballyhea Club. Memberhip can also be paid to any committee member. All players must have membership paid before the commencement of all competitions. Membership fees for 2025: Adult €75, Adult Player €100, Juvenile player/student €50, Family €150, OAP/Unwaged €30. Ballyhea in Black and White – 'Ballyhea in Black and White' is a collection of memories from local photographer Michael McGrath and photos that have been collected. It features some great GAA and camogie memories from down through the years. Books can be purchased at Costcutters shop in Ballyhea for €20. Online Shop – The club's online shop is proving to be very popular. All the latest club gear can be purchased from the O'Neill's website. Check it out at BCommunity Alert Ballyhea Community Alert has successfully set up a Text Alert Network to immediately alert our community when an incident occurs. Prompt information to and from Gardaí deters criminal activity. If you are interested in becoming a member of our Text Alert Network please phone any of the following people for information and sign up details – Phil Ryan 087 2937465, Pat Daly 086 1220114, James Horgan 087 2572271, Willie Meaney 087 1936842, Con Walsh 086 8570355. The fee for this service is €10 annually. BOHERBUE Retirement gift A committee has been formed to make arrangements to recognise the upcoming retirement of our Parish Priest Rev Fr Jim Kennelly. Details of events will be communicated over the coming weeks to allow everyone in the Parish the opportunity to wish Fr Jim the best in his deserved retirement. In addition to these events the committee has also arranged to set up an account for his retirement gift. Parishioners from both Boherbue and Kiskeam areas and groups may wish to arrange their own personal gifts or to use this account according to their own preferences. The account details are as follows. Account name: Fr Kennelly Retirement Fund. Location: Newmarket Credit Union. IBAN: IE38NEEU99224810181853 The closing date is Friday July 11th. Please feel free to share these details within any organisation or clubs you may be involved in. The Committee also intend to insure that any costs associated with any of the celebrations are kept to a minimum and all details will be shared with the community at a future date. Knock pilgrimage The annual Boherbue/Kiskeam pilgrimage to Knock will take place on Wednesday June 25th. Details from Philomena on 029 76116 or 087 7500151or Maura on 029 76217. Thank You The Boherbue Girl Guides and Araglen Desmonds Bui Ladies football Mother's and Others group wish to sincerely thank all who supported their recent football blitz in aid of the Guides upcoming International Camp at Clongowes in August. Thanks to the teams who took part, those who supported the raffle, the sponsors or those who helped in anyway to make it a success. Nevin Cup Boherbue Nevin Cup squad scored a 5-19 to 2-7 win over St. John's on Friday evening last. The game attracted a big following to the Gneeves venue where the home side were on top throughout. They opened the scoring with four points which was followed by Cathal Ducey goal in the 11th minute and from there on it was clear there was only going to be one winner. Further goals from Adrian Murphy, who also netted a penalty in the second half, and Sean Og Sheehan plus a flurry of points left the half time score at 3-11 to 1-4. From the restart the game followed along the same pattern with Boher's final goal coming from the boot of Patrick Daly. Team: Donal Murphy; Bertie Buckley, Liam Daly, Padraig Aherne; Diarmuid Murphy, Niall Murphy, Darragh Tompkins; CJ O'Sullivan, Patk Daly; Sean Og Sheehan, Adrian Murphy, Timothy Murphy; Brian Herlihy, Dan Sheehan, Cathal Ducey. Subs: Richard Moynihan, Hugh Patrick O'Connor, Paul Cremin, Tim Murphy, Mike Murphy, Dermot Hickey. Cemetery Mass The annual Mass in Boherbue Cemetery takes place on this Friday night June 6th at 7.30pm. Lotto The numbers were 19, 24, 28, 29. Lucky Dip: €50 Eileen Mc Sweeney, Islandave; €20 each Fr Jim Kennelly PP; Jamie and Finn Lismire; Ml O'Sullivan, East End. On line John Aherne. Seller Tony Ankettell. MEELIN Cliona Hagan at Quinlans Quinlans Beer Garden presents Cliona Hagan in concert on Sunday 15th June. First up will be Glen Rambler from 4pm–6pm, followed by Cliona Hagan from 6pm-8pm. Tickets €20. Tel 087 7670755. ROCKCHAPEL Rockchapel Gathering Weekend The Rockchapel Gathering Weekend will take place from June 6th to 8th, promising a packed programme of entertainment for all ages: Friday, June 6th: The weekend opens with a concert at Bruach na Carraige at 8pm, featuring acclaimed Fermanagh band Tully, with support from Rockchapel's own McAuliffe Family. Saturday, June 7th: The ever-popular Community Cuppa returns, with music from Jim Kiely and Friends, and magic for the kids. Afternoon events include a kids' music session in Murphy's Bar hosted by John McNulty and a singing session in Paddy Molly's Bar hosted by Eibhlín and Liam Broderick. The day culminates in the Three Counties Challenge Variety Show in Rockchapel Community Centre. Sunday, June 8th: Festivities begin with a traditional Trad Mass, followed by a lively Craft Fair on the Church grounds. Family fun abounds with an Animal Roadshow, face painting, art corner, kids' tractor run, and more. Food and refreshments will be available all day. The weekend will close with a free outdoor concert, starting with Up in Smoke (3.30 to 5.30pm), followed by The Rising (6pm-8pm), and DJ Donal keeping the party going into the night. Pub sessions will also take place nightly, with all musicians welcome to join. This year's Rockchapel Gathering promises to be the biggest and most entertaining yet. For updates, visit the official Rockchapel Gathering Weekend website or follow on social media. WESTERN DUHALLOW Cullen Feis On this Sunday June 8th the village of Cullen will celebrate its annual Feis Laitiarain, one of the oldest annual events anywhere in the country. Starting at 12 noon with competitions in Singing, Music including Bands, Dancing etc. The age groups are under 8, 8 to 10yrs, 10 to 12, 12 to 14 and over 14. There will also be the annual sports which too attract a lot of competitors, novelty events and many extra items that create a Carnival atmosphere. Tea, coffee etc will also be available. The award winning local Pipe Band too will give a recital. Further details from 086 2173796 or 087 2316298. Cemetery Masses Knocknagree: Friday, June 6th 8pm. Boherbue: Friday, June 6th 7.30pm. Kiskeam: Monday, June 9th 7.30pm. Gneeveguilla: Monday, June 9th 8pm. St Mary's, Millstreet: Monday, June 9th 7.30pm. Drishane: Tueday, June 10th 7.30pm. Nohoval: Wednesday, June 11th 8pm. Ballydesmond: Sunday, June 29th. Cullen: Thursday, July 3rd 7.30pm. Cullen: Old Cemetery Thursday, 24th 7.30pm. Invitation On Sunday June 22nd the 11am Mass in the Church of the Sacred Heart will be the Retirement Mass from the Kiskeam side of the Parish for Fr Jim Kennelly PP. Everyone welcome. Kiskeam Lotto The numbers were 7, 18, 20, 25. Lucky Dip €50 Vincent Guiney, Knocknanough. €20 each Francis O'Keeffe, Knockeenadillane; Jerome Casey, Drominargle, Boherbue; Regina Sheehan, online Seller Christy O'Keeffe.