A Chapel of St. Paul at Caesarea Maritima?

Abstract

“Herod’s praetorium (Acts 23:35), that served as the place and officium of the Roman governors of Judaea, was the site of the two-years’ confinement of St. Paul at Caesarea, and the site of his hearings in front of Felix and Festus (Acts 21:15- 27:1). The suggested chapel of St. Paul is located at a distance of ca. 300 m to the north, in the midst of a 5th c. complex of warehouses associated with a vast, Byzantine palatial mansion. A thick layer of debris containing plaster blocks with frescos depicting large colorful crosses of the crux gemmata type together with Greek inscriptions (presented by Leah Di Segni in the following article), architectural fragments of marble, and other small finds retrieved nearby suggest the existence of a second-story chapel in this location. An eulogia bread stamp and a pottery plate, both bearing the name “Paul” found in this area as well as the painted crosses and a Greek inscription written under one of them suggest that this chapel was dedicated to St. Paul.