Ramat Bet Shemesh, Israel

The Church of the Glorious Martyr excavations, located near modern Beit Shemesh, was conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority. Beginning in 2017, the excavations uncovered remains of a large Byzantine church complex, including a basilical church, baptistry, refractory, annexed chapel, narthex, and a large courtyard surrounded by auxiliary rooms. The bema of the church was erected above a vaulted subterranean crypt featuring separate entrance and exit ways, a feature associated with pilgrimage sites. The church remained active throughout the Umayyad period (seventh century C.E.) but regressed in relation to changing demographics in the region after the arrival of Islam and was abandoned during the Abbasid period (ninth–tenth centuries C.E.).

The Church of the Glorious Martyr App was created as an immersive experience, allowing users to see the site through an archaeologist's eyes. Each tour featured in the app allows free exploration of the site and can be enjoyed regardless of prior archaeological knowledge.

To learn about the church, read the article "A Glorious Church for a Mysterious Martyr" in the Fall 2021 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review.

Biblical Archaeology Review 2021