Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1911-12-02
ANCIENT CHURCH IS
UMEARTHED ON
TOP OF MOUNT
OF OLIVES
The White Fathers. a Greek
Order Of Religious Men
Have Exclusive Control Of
Carmelite Property.
OLD BUILDING WAS
AN EXTENSIVE ONE

Jtfuaaltm, ialtaiinn. Dec ~
discovery which promises to be Of
srcat interest 10 the christian world
has been made on the top OF the
Mount olives.
Under the auspiccs % the Greek
Catholic order OF MONKS called the
white Fathers" excavations we're
begun recently In tn grounds OF the.
Institution known a. the Cnrmelitc
Convent OF tho "Paicr Nostcr." The
convent and the beautiful, little cha
pei attached we're built about thirty
six years ago by and at tile expense OF
The late Auroiia de Bossl. Princess de
y Tour d'Auyergne. Duchessc o. bou
iilon. and h now occupied 81 French
nuns ~ the Carmciltc order.
During her lifetime the late princess
turned over the convent and It's
Hrounds To the French government.
The Institution IA consequently con-
ridefcd as French property now
France. IN turn. placed Il under the
guardianship 81 the white Fathers. :"
allowing them free hand In ia man.
aecment both spiritual and temporal
and IN the carrying ON of exploratory
researches on excavations whenever
TIE occasion crosse or an opportunity
offered.
The white Fathers have Iona
held To- the belief that The grounds
must cover the site ~ some buried
ancient church or 'edinco In accord
ance with lonE-prescryed records in
their possession. and acting on this
belief. excavations were commenced In
the western section ~ the extensive
grounds
The exca,atoTs were not long IN
coming upon the broken walls Of a.
ruined church. aud. Judging from the
extent OF the walls uncnrihed. this
church must have enjoyed quite iibcr-
~ dimensions. II measures some i5gl
feet IN length from entrance TO apse.
the hitter facing ehAtwards and its
avcrag, width a the nave y about 80
feet and'at t'ie tt'Afiscbfs 50 feet ~
The main floor " che nave stiH re-
mnins unearihed. but those ~ The
iransspts the extent Of whose arcns
measures some Is feet square each,
have been exposed 20 View They con.
sist OF beautifully laid moslacs Ia "a
perfect state ~ preservation. In the
middle ~ the floor tho south trans
ept II sunk a baptismal immersion
pool. some feet I'M depth aud feet
square each. have been exposed 60
view They consist 81 beautifully laid
mosaics IN a perfect state 81 preserVa-
fltn To-. h.. 80 O. -.
south transept Is sunk a baptisinnl inn
metrion pool. some feet tn depth and
I feet square. with q necely rounded
and finished rim. an wonderfully pre-
served. The plasicring an the sides
OF the walls encloslHg this trans, ps
shows traces OF large painting.
On the floor Of the north iransept
We're found several shafts OF columns
scattered here and there among tao
debris. and AZ the junction Of the
western corner 90 the transept with
she navc were uncovered two or three
tombs containing human bones, on
The tombstone Of one Of which II in
scribed Ia Greek, ihe nhme Theodo-
rus"
Further up The nave, northeast Of
the south tranaepL another biz Of mos
aic flooring was unearthed. diEcloaing
THAI there were tWo separate and dis
'lnct floors Of different mosaic design.
the upper lying some feet inches
above the other. making Il clear that
ihe church's history covers two separ-
ate periods. namely The flfst period
following liz original construction BY
Queen Helena fome time during the
early part of the fourth century. the
other two helms ihs church Of the Ho-
b Aepulehre in Jerusalem and the
church OF the Nativity IN i5ethlehom--
and the second period dating from the
restoration By the Crusaders Of the
twelfth century % the previously de-
siroyed original church of Queen Hell
emo, the destruction taking place
probably during the early Per, o. the
sixth century ut the hands Of the
PcrHlnn king, choTonh ~. OF possibly
some other utien,nl vAnuuls. The lat
Ter View 4 suproflcd By the peculiar
construction IN q senl.clrctllhr FASH
bon Of the wall Of lAa apee, which 81
enafactersiic Of il.e crueader archls
lecture.
The church has been given the
name ~ "Eieona. In reference per-
heps 10 queen Helene, lts Founder. or
aeain. the Church o. the Lords
Prayer, for Il stands. ~ Tradition has
y. over ths site Of tne spot wherv Je-
Aus taught his disciFisa how 10 pray
The work ~ sKeatatlon has been
temporarily postponed heeause ~ vi
lack ~ the ncceesary fuuds, but Il n
the intention of the white Fathers.
so-callcd heeanse ~ The whpte roocs
ar tunica that they wear. sa continue
their exploration - fnuu ar possible,
ana IA anne fltfttr.. d,.4p Az fpalora the