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Fox News
3 hours ago
- Fox News
Ancient Christian church reveals mysterious 1,600-year-old warning to nonbelievers: 'Only the righteous'
Archaeologists in Turkey recently excavated the ruins of a millennia-old city, revealing a fifth-century Christian church with a message that hasn't been seen in over 1,000 years. The excavation took place at Olympus, an ancient Lycian port city in Turkey's Antalya province, according to Anadolu Agency (AA), a state-run news outlet in Ankara. The city has been excavated continuously since 2006, but during the recent season, archaeologists uncovered multiple mosaic floors, along with large storage jars called pithoi. Excavator Gokcen Kurtulus Oztaskin, an associate professor at Pamukkale University, told AA that the site "continues to surprise us with its mosaics." The professor noted that "in 2017, 2022 and 2023, we discovered richly decorated mosaic floors at the sites we worked on. This year, we uncovered and restored the floor mosaics of Church No. 1." The most striking discovery was an inscription found at Church No. 1's entrance. Oztaskin translated the message as: "Only those on the righteous path may enter here." Olympus was abandoned by the 12th century — meaning the inscription has not been seen since. The mosaics also featured vegetable motifs, a common artistic element of the era. The names of benefactors were also visible on the mosaics, indicating that an affluent class once flourished in Olympus. Excavators also found a newly uncovered building that resembles a temple, though more work will be done to determine its age and function. Olympus was in use for several centuries. It still bears some remnants of Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine architecture. Archaeologists have uncovered multiple churches, a bridge and an entrance complex. They also found the Bishop's Palace, the Antimakhos sarcophagus and the Lycian Marcus Aurelius Archepolis Monumental Tomb. The discoveries come on the heels of several recent breakthroughs in early Christian archaeology. Earlier this spring, an archaeologist uncovered an ancient Christian settlement in Jordan known as Tharais. Last year, historians unveiled the earliest-known evidence of Christianity north of the Alps, in the form of a silver inscription.
San Francisco Chronicle
10 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
'God understands us': Inside a Nigerian church where deaf people find faith and community
People interact using sign language during a church service at the Christian Mission for the Deaf in Lagos, Nigeria, Sunday, July 13, 2025. Sunday Alamba/AP Remi Akinremi, a pastor, preaches using sign language during a church service at the Christian Mission for the Deaf in Lagos, Nigeria, Sunday, July 13, 2025. Sunday Alamba/AP A member of the choir uses sign language during a church service at the Christian Mission for the Deaf in Lagos, Nigeria, Sunday, July 13, 2025. Sunday Alamba/AP Imoh Udoka, a pastor, preaches using sign language during a church service at the Christian Mission for the Deaf in Lagos, Nigeria, Sunday, July 13, 2025. Sunday Alamba/AP A woman reads the bible during a church service at the Christian Mission for the Deaf in Lagos, Nigeria, Sunday, July 13, 2025. Sunday Alamba/AP LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — It is like any other church in Nigeria 's megacity of Lagos. A lectern faces rows of plastic chairs. A biblical quote is written on a beam above. There is a music section, with a set of drums. Sash-wearing church wardens move around to enforce order. But it is also different. For hours, the only sounds are exclamations and thunderous bursts of drums, with their vibrations the cues for when to pray, kneel or respond to the preacher's calls for 'Hallelujah.' This is a church for deaf people in Somolu, a mixed-income suburb, where about 50 to 60 people worship weekly. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Imoh Udoka, a father of two children, has attended the church for 36 years. He was 9 years old when he contracted meningitis, losing his hearing as well as access to his faith. Most churches in Nigeria do not have accommodation for deaf people. Then Udoka, now a teacher of sign language, discovered the church via community outreach. 'Here in this church, we have access to worship God in our sign language,' he told The Associated Press. 'God also understands us' Remi Akinrenmi is one of the pastors. Every Sunday, he mounts the pulpit with charismatic energy to preach in sign language. His big frame makes for a commanding presence. On one Sunday, he preached about the sinister consequences of jealousy. On another, he preached the importance of faith. Attendees waved their hands above their heads in response to 'Praise the Lord.' Advertisement Article continues below this ad Most important for Akinrenmi is that members see the church as a community. 'There was no community for us before the deaf church started," he said. 'Now, we see each other and say, 'Oh, you are deaf, too. I am also deaf.' And we are now together and have formed a community.' God understands every language, he said: "With sign language, God also understands us.' Disability advocates say that in the absence of inclusive churches and institutions, churches like this and a handful of affiliates in southern Nigeria are crucial, especially in African societies where the perception of people with disabilities is influenced by traditional beliefs. Some see a disability as a divine punishment. 'An exclusive space like this church offers them an opportunity for a safe space to be able to connect and relate,' said Treasures Uchegbu, founder of Speaking Fingers, a sign language advocacy group in Lagos. 'They can say, 'I am not a deaf person just standing alone, I have other deaf people around.'" Advertisement Article continues below this ad How the church came to be The church organizes evangelism outreach programs to other deaf communities in Lagos. It also runs a teaching unit for sign language, a vital tool for understanding the world better, according to Akinrenmi. Hearing children of church members also attend the classes to better relate to their parents and others, and some hearing students attend church services for immersion learning. The church started in 1956 in colonial Nigeria as the Christian Mission for Deaf Africans. In today's Nigeria, an estimated 10 million people out of the population of 220 million are deaf or have difficulty hearing. There is limited infrastructure in Nigeria for people with disabilities, and laws to improve their welfare and prevent discrimination are barely enforced. Efforts by advocates to push for more inclusive legislation have not materialized. They blame a lack of political will. Oluwakemi Oluwatoke-Ogunjirin, a 49-year-old worker with the Lagos state government, was born deaf. She attended hearing churches with her family but always felt lost. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Depending solely on public infrastructure in other parts of life, she struggles to get by. But at the church, she said, she has found a community where she can feel safe and understood. 'The church goes beyond faith; we have people like ourselves that we can talk to as friends,' Oluwatoke-Ogunjirin said. With the church's help, she has improved her sign language and can communicate widely, breaking the isolation she grew up with. 'The sign language makes life very easy for us," she said. 'It helps us communicate beyond the church.' ___ Advertisement Article continues below this ad For more on Africa and development: The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
'God understands us': Inside a Nigerian church where the deaf find faith and community
Nigeria Church Deaf People LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — It is like any other church in Nigeria 's megacity of Lagos. A lectern faces rows of plastic chairs. A biblical quote is written on a beam above. There is a music section, with a set of drums. Sash-wearing church wardens move around to enforce order. But it is also different. For hours, the only sounds are exclamations and thunderous bursts of drums, with their vibrations the cues for when to pray, kneel or respond to the preacher's calls for 'Hallelujah.' This is a church for deaf people in Somolu, a mixed-income suburb, where about 50 to 60 people worship weekly. Imoh Udoka, a father of two children, has attended the church for 36 years. He was 9 years old when he contracted meningitis, losing his hearing as well as access to his faith. Most churches in Nigeria do not have accommodation for deaf people. Then Udoka, now a teacher of sign language, discovered the church via community outreach. 'Here in this church, we have access to worship God in our sign language,' he told The Associated Press. 'God also understands us' Remi Akinrenmi is one of the pastors. Every Sunday, he mounts the pulpit with charismatic energy to preach in sign language. His big frame makes for a commanding presence. On one Sunday, he preached about the sinister consequences of jealousy. On another, he preached the importance of faith. Attendees waved their hands above their heads in response to 'Praise the Lord.' Most important for Akinrenmi is that members see the church as a community. 'There was no community for us before the deaf church started," he said. 'Now, we see each other and say, 'Oh, you are deaf, too. I am also deaf.' And we are now together and have formed a community.' God understands every language, he said: "With sign language, God also understands us.' Disability advocates say that in the absence of inclusive churches and institutions, churches like this and a handful of affiliates in southern Nigeria are crucial, especially in African societies where the perception of people with disabilities is influenced by traditional beliefs. Some see a disability as a divine punishment. 'An exclusive space like this church offers them an opportunity for a safe space to be able to connect and relate,' said Treasures Uchegbu, founder of Speaking Fingers, a sign language advocacy group in Lagos. 'They can say, 'I am not a deaf person just standing alone, I have other deaf people around.'" How the church came to be The church organizes evangelism outreach programs to other deaf communities in Lagos. It also runs a teaching unit for sign language, a vital tool for understanding the world better, according to Akinrenmi. Hearing children of church members also attend the classes to better relate to their parents and others, and some hearing students attend church services for immersion learning. The church started in 1956 in colonial Nigeria as the Christian Mission for Deaf Africans. In today's Nigeria, an estimated 10 million people out of the population of 220 million are deaf or have difficulty hearing. There is limited infrastructure in Nigeria for people with disabilities, and laws to improve their welfare and prevent discrimination are barely enforced. Efforts by advocates to push for more inclusive legislation have not materialized. They blame a lack of political will. Oluwakemi Oluwatoke-Ogunjirin, a 49-year-old worker with the Lagos state government, was born deaf. She attended hearing churches with her family but always felt lost. Depending solely on public infrastructure in other parts of life, she struggles to get by. But at the church, she said, she has found a community where she can feel safe and understood. 'The church goes beyond faith; we have people like ourselves that we can talk to as friends,' Oluwatoke-Ogunjirin said. With the church's help, she has improved her sign language and can communicate widely, breaking the isolation she grew up with. 'The sign language makes life very easy for us," she said. 'It helps us communicate beyond the church.' ___ For more on Africa and development: The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
