For years, Syria has been suffering under ISIS occupation. The situation there often makes the news as a humanitarian crisis in which 270,000 people were forced to flee their homes and 3,250 lost their lives…many of these losses were innocent civilians.

But as ISIS is being slowly forced out of strongholds in Syria, exciting discoveries are being made. In a formerly ISIS-held area toward the north, an ancient Christian church has been unearthed…found beneath a garbage dump that had been used by ISIS occupation forces for years.

The site was actually first discovered in 2014, but as ISIS moved in and the entire area became a dangerous warzone there was no way for archaeologists to excavate it. Although ISIS cleared out in 2016, it was a difficult process to reach the treasure and begin working—mines and traps littered the countryside, and extensive work had to be done before the area was safe to re-enter.

Luckily, those who were using the spot as a trash heap didn’t recognize what they were seeing—or it’s likely that the site would have been destroyed.

an ancient stone building similar to the one found in an Isis trash heap

The dumping ground is a bare hill, that looks like any other…but hiding beneath the trash was the tip of a simple gate. When ISIS was forced out and further investigation was made possible, this gate led to an astounding treasure: A secret church, used by very early Christians during the Roman era!

The church is well-preserved, and offers some amazing insights into the lives of the earliest followers of Jesus.

This ancient space is a stark reminder to those of us who have the privilege of attending church freely—not everyone has always been able to worship Jesus without great risk. The structure is almost entirely underground, and is well-hidden from view. There are areas in which it’s likely a security guard would have stood, protecting the hidden entrance and giving church-goers a chance to sneak out of another exit should a Roman guard discover them.

the interior of a stone house similar to the one found in an Isis trash heap

The hidden church is a fascinating underground structure, full of tunnels and interconnected rooms. There are large stones that may once have concealed hidden doors, and in the walls there are ledges where oil-lamps once lit the way.

Deep in the structure is a kind of altar, reached by three simple steps chiseled into the stone. And throughout the space, evidence that Christians once worshipped there can be seen in the form of crosses etched into the walls.

early first-century carving of a Christian cross

This secret space harks back to a time when extreme persecution of Christians was rampant. The Roman Empire was against Christianity until Emperor Constantine made worshipping Jesus legal in the year 313. During the centuries before this, believers were being executed for their faith in mass crucifixions, being used as human torches, and being fed to lions during public events.

The courage of these martyrs in the face of torture and death points towards their love for the Lord and their unwavering faith. The hidden churches of the early Christian years are a part of our Christian heritage that should never be forgotten.

Meeting together to worship despite the threat of imprisonment and death is, sadly, a reality for many Christians even today. Thousands of Christians are still being martyred each year, facing death for their beliefs in countries where worshipping Christ is illegal. If you would like to help persecuted Christians, you can learn more at the Voice of the Martyrs website.