An ancient church, long buried in Turkey’s central Cappadocia region, has been unearthed by archaeologists who think it could transform how we interpret early Christian belief.
Unique frescoes found in the church, believed to date back to the fifth century, show Jesus killing bad souls and fighting
the devil, which runs contrary to mainstream interpretations in which good and evil are constantly jostling for control.
The rock-carved underground church has been found in a castle in the heart of Nevsehir, a mostly buried ancient city covering about 360,000 square metres where archaeologists are conducting a string of large-scale excavations.
According to Turkish daily Hurriyet, Nevsehir mayor Hasan Unver said the frescoes depict Jesus ascending into the sky and killing the bad souls.
“We know that such frescoes have so far never been seen in any other church,” Unver said.
“This place is even bigger than the other historical churches in Cappadocia. It was built [...]
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