Church of Saint Elian
Encyclopedia
The Church of Saint Elian is a church in Homs
, Syria
, located along Tarafa bin al-Abd Street near the Gate of Palmyra
. The Feast of St. Elian is held annually at the church on February 6, attracting a large number of pilgrims.
in 284 CE at the hands of his father, a Roman
officer. St. Elian was a physician by trade and various miracles of healing are attributed to him. The church itself was founded in 432 on the claimed spot of St. Elian's death, with his remains placed in a sarcophagus in a small chapel to the right of the church's main crypt
.
In 1969-70, Mar Elian was renovated. During the renovation, the plaster which covered the inner walls of the crypt was removed, revealing ancient frescoes depicting murals of Jesus
, Mary
, the Apostles, and various prophets. The frescoes date to at least the 12th century, but it is widely believed to date to the 6th century, making them the oldest surviving church paintings in Syria. Today, they are complemented by new frescoes in the main nave and side-aisles of the church painted by two Romania
n iconographers, showing various scenes of St. Elian's lifetime.
Homs
Homs , previously known as Emesa , is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, located along Tarafa bin al-Abd Street near the Gate of Palmyra
Palmyra
Palmyra was an ancient city in Syria. In the age of antiquity, it was an important city of central Syria, located in an oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus and 180 km southwest of the Euphrates at Deir ez-Zor. It had long been a vital caravan city for travellers crossing the Syrian desert...
. The Feast of St. Elian is held annually at the church on February 6, attracting a large number of pilgrims.
History
It takes its name from Saint Elian, a native of Homs, who was martyred for his refusal to renounce ChristianityChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in 284 CE at the hands of his father, a Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
officer. St. Elian was a physician by trade and various miracles of healing are attributed to him. The church itself was founded in 432 on the claimed spot of St. Elian's death, with his remains placed in a sarcophagus in a small chapel to the right of the church's main crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
.
In 1969-70, Mar Elian was renovated. During the renovation, the plaster which covered the inner walls of the crypt was removed, revealing ancient frescoes depicting murals of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
, the Apostles, and various prophets. The frescoes date to at least the 12th century, but it is widely believed to date to the 6th century, making them the oldest surviving church paintings in Syria. Today, they are complemented by new frescoes in the main nave and side-aisles of the church painted by two Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n iconographers, showing various scenes of St. Elian's lifetime.