Why pilgrims come
Meet the Catholic history preserved at this place
Excavations at Kefar Othnay within the Megiddo Prison compound uncovered a third-century Christian prayer hall with a mosaic floor and Greek inscriptions, including a dedication to “God Jesus Christ.” It is among the earliest archaeologically identified spaces created specifically for Christian worship and is the subject of the Bear Grylls-narrated documentary The Mosaic Church. The original site is not open to ordinary visitors, and the mosaic has been removed for conservation and exhibition.
Encounter unusually early material evidence of Christians gathering around a central table and publicly naming Jesus as God—while carefully distinguishing the original archaeological location from the mosaic’s temporary museum display.
What to notice
Look closely at the place and its story
The “God Jesus Christ” inscription
Read the Greek dedication as rare material evidence for how a third-century Christian community spoke about Jesus before Christianity was legalized in the Roman Empire.
A table at the center of worship
Notice how the inscriptions, donors, fish imagery, and central table illuminate a real worshipping community rather than an abstract archaeological curiosity.
The story behind The Mosaic Church
The 2025 documentary narrated by Bear Grylls follows the discovery, conservation, and contested questions surrounding this exceptional early Christian site.
How to read this page
Sources, tradition, and what is verified
The destination record was last checked on 9/10/2026.
This page records the site’s tradition as “Early Christianity.” That wording describes the nature of the claim and keeps devotional tradition distinct from independently verified history.