Archaeologists uncovered two churches over 1,500 years old at Kharga Oasis, Egypt—uncovering early Christian worship in a remote desert settlement. Among the finds: a rare mural showing Jesus Christ healing the sick—striking evidence of Christianity’s spread beyond the Nile Valley.
Excavations at the ancient settlement of Ain al‑Kharab, located roughly 350 miles southwest of Cairo, revealed mudbrick residences, tombs, ovens, and storage jars—illuminating daily life during the transition from Roman paganism to early Coptic Christianity.
Two churches stood out: one large basilica-style structure, featuring a wide hall flanked by two aisles and rows of square columns; the smaller, rectangular church had seven external columns and featured Coptic inscriptions on its interior walls.
The mural of Jesus Christ healing a sick person—rare in Egypt’s Western Desert—offers a vivid glimpse of early Christian visual culture. It served as a teaching tool in an era when literacy was limited.
Egypt’s Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities confirmed that these discoveries underscore Kharga Oasis’ importance as a religious and social hub during the early Coptic period. Minister Sherif Fathy added that the find deepens understanding of early Christianity in Egypt and highlights the cultural and religious tolerance intrinsic to the region’s heritage
