Christian Churches & WW Cemeteries In Libya |
The Church of Cyrene
It is not only that the beginning of the Church in Libya goes back to the origin of Christianity herself, but also the Christian thought itself was nurtured in North Africa; where the Bible says Moses was born and grew up, and where the Libyan Simon of Cyrene helped Jesus Christ carry the cross [Mark 15: 21-24]. When Christianity was fighting for its life in North Africa and the Middle East, Rome and Greece were yet to hear of Jesus Christ. When the early Christian movement was persecuted and plighted with heresy, Gnostics and controversy in Egypt and later in Jerusalem, the Libyans and the Cyprians were among the first of men to carry the news of new-born Jesus to the Greeks and to the surrounding Mediterranean islands; where Christianity was nurtured to grow into a major religion; which then the Romans took, protected, and further spread around the ancient world -- a journey that took nearly 400 years to complete. Among the first to leave Libya for Egypt and start a number of Christian communities was St. Mark, who was a Libyan Berber from Cyrene; and among the first to document the Christian philosophy and produce tumultuous volumes of Christian lore was the Berber St. Augustine of Algeria; both of whom are now widely recognised as two of the most prominent figures of early Christianity. "Gabriel Camps noted that ". . . Three giants dominate the Christian thought of Roman Africa: Tertullian, Cyprian and Augustine. These three Africans who . . . contributed to the establishment of the Christian dogma, are regarded, with due merit, as "Fathers of the Church "(Camps, p.251). It was Tertullian (155-225) who made Christianity a tool in his resistance against the Roman occupation because . . . he had kept "all the passions, all the entransigence, all the indiscipline of a Berber." . . . His principal work was the Apologetic (Apologeticum). As for Cyprian, he conducted research and underwent martyrdom . . . As for Saint-Augustine (345-430), it does not seem necessary to give the details of his life and his work because, in theory, Europeans, as Christians, know it better than anyone else." Mohamed Chafik. [See The Tripolitanian Church, below, for more on St.Augustine.] The humble Church of Cyrene has seen a number of bishops including the first Christian bishop Lucius of Cyrene (appointed by Mark), and the most famous bishop of Cyrene Sinesius of Tolemaidis (cf. Tolmeitha). It was also widely recognised that the Egyptian Coptic Church had strong historical roots in Libya. The Ancient Metropolis of Libya included Livis, Marmarica, Drnis and Tripolitania; while the Great and Ancient Metropolis of Pentapolis comprised the five cities of Cyrenaica in Eastern Libya, namely: Cyrene, Apollonia, Tolmeitha (Ptolemais), Berenice and Arsinoe (Taucheira or Tokra). Among the ancient churches of Cyrene are the Byzantine Church in Qasr Libya (the seat of a Bishopric during the Byzantine period); Ras Al-Hilal Church; Athrun Church; Apollonia Churches; Tolmeitha Church; the Cyrene Cathedral; and Benghazi Catholic Cathedral. The best resource for churches in Cyrenaica is the "Christian Monuments of Cyrenaica", 2003, by J. B. Ward-Perkins and R. G. Goodchild, Edited by J. M. Reynolds. The 500-page volume includes archaeological studies undertaken between 1953 and 1971 by the late J. B. Ward-Perkins (d. 1981) and the late R. G. Goodchild (d. 1968), covering at least 35 churches, photographs, illustrations, maps, and a draft overview of the building techniques used; thereby representing detailed evidence for the study of late antique and early Byzantine Cyrenaica of a quality and extent that has never been available before [2003, 375 illus., 2 maps, index, ISBN 9781900971010].
Benghazi Catholic Cathedral
The largest colonial building still stands in Benghazi city centre today is the former Catholic Cathedral in Cathedral Square. It was also one of the largest churches in North Africa. The basilica-based, neo-classical style of the church was designed by the Italian architects Guido Ottavo and Cabiati Ferrazza, with the large domes covering both spans of the nave. Apparently, the original drawings of the plan show a three-floor bell tower that was never built.
Benghazi Catholic Cathedral, which currently (2009 - 2010) is undergoing renovation work by an Italian company.
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Christianity hardly exists in modern Libya today, apart from a small minority of foreign communities, mostly from Egypt, Europe and some African countries. The largest group of Christians is the Coptic Orthodox, said to number around 60,000 Christians (with other minorities from the Russian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, and the Greek Orthodox churches). The second largest Christian group in Libya is the Roman Catholics - around 40,000 Christians; followed by a small Anglican congregation in Tripoli, mostly of African immigrants. However there are several churches in Libya today including St. Francis and St. Mark's in Tripoli; St. Antonios and Catholic Cathedral in Benghazi; and St. Mary and St. George in Misratha.
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Benghazi War Graves Cemetery
The War Graves Cemetery was built and maintained by the British Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Sometimes the locals refer to this cemetery as the Australian Cemetery (Al-Maqbarah Al-Ustraliyah). The cemetery, located about 6km south-east of the city centre, is the home of Allied soldiers who died in the Second World War, from Libya, Sudan, South Africa, United Kingdom, Australia, Greece, India, and Norway. There are 1214 Commonwealth servicemen commemorated in this cemetery, including 163 unidentified servicemen. Nearly a week after the first anniversary of the 17th of February a group of unknown vandals stormed the War Graves Cemetery on Friday the 23rd of February 2012 and desecrated a number of graves and headstones. The national Transitional Council had condemned the attack on the cemetery. The attack was said to have been related to the violence in Afghanistan. For more details and photos of the desecrated cemetery, see: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2106230/
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The Church of Tripolitania
While the Church of Cyrene was allied to the Coptic Church of Egypt, the Church of Tripolitania was bound to the Church of Carthage - the second largest Christian centre after Alexandria at the time. During the reign of the Berber Libyan Septimius Severus, Africa's first Roman Emperor, who built spectacular Leptis Magna, the Libyan Victor (189-199), also from Leptis Magna, became Africa's first Pope. Among the achievements of Pope Victor was the introduction of the Latin language into the celebrations of the Mass in Rome, which was previously celebrated in Greek (the language of Greece) - or the language of the earlier Church before the seat of power was slowly transferred to Rome. He has also decreed that Easter should be celebrated on a Sunday. And in addition to more than one hundred African bishops, history remembers most the bishop of Hippo St. Augustine, largely for his Latin scholarship and for his massive contribution to Christian thought, and as such he was widely recognised to have been among the first Christian philosophers ever. His vision and philosophy are detailed in his book: The City of God. He was born in what is now known as Algeria on the 13th of November 354, and died in Hippo on the 28th of August 430. To this day the Berber St. Augustine still remains one of the most devoted Christian scholars the world has ever seen.
The Byzantine Basilica of The Time of Justinian
The Christian Byzantine Basilica of the time of Justinian, some parts of which are currently in display in Sabratha Museum, Libya, was built in the 6th century AD. But some of the material used, like the square-sided columns and the acanthus motifs, date from an earlier period, indicating that they were taken from earlier, pre-Christian, structures. The main aisles of the church were lavishly decorated with mosaics, which are currently in display in the museum. The church contains an impressive collection of wall and floor mosaic panels, rich in vibrant colours and geometrical designs, animals, birds and characters, as well as columns, column bases, and display cases of clay oil lamps.
This gallery of the museum is known as "The Church".
Mosaic designs from the Basilica of Justinian. This rich scene, which includes the peacock (near the top), originally comes from the central nave of the church.
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St. Francis Church In Tripoli
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The Jewish Synagogue
One of the oldest synagogues found in Libya is located in Nafusa Mountain, in the Berber village of Yefren. The locals call it ma’abed al-yahoud (the Temple of the Jews) or kanisat al-yahoud (the Church of the Jews). The current building, clearly designed in relation to the Star of David, with its six arches and six windows, is built on an ancient synagogue said to be at least 2000 years old. Located east of the city centre the synagogue was used by a small community until 1948.
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Related Resources:
Christian Monuments of Cyrenaica: J. B. Ward-Perkins and R. G. Goodchild Edited by J. M. Reynolds. 2003. 500 pp., 375 illus., 2 maps, index ISBN 9781900971010
Union Church: Immaculate Conception Catholic Church
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