El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-02
FIND Temple ON
MOUNT OF OLIVES
Excavations in Holy Land
Reveal Ancient Church
Near Jerusalem

jerusalem. Palestine. Dec "A dis
covery which promises to be Of great
interest to the Christian world has been
made on the top Of the Mount Of Oh
ives.
Under the auspices Of the Greek
Catholic order of monks called the
white Fathers" excavations were be-
gun recently in the grounds OF the IN
stitutiOn known as the Carmellte con-
vent Of the "Pater Noster- Inc con-
vent and the beautiful little chapel at
tached were built about 5b years ago
by and at the expense Of the late Aure-
liza de Bossi, princess De ia TOUR a. u-
Tergne, duchess de Bouillon, and Is now
occupied by French nuns OF the Car
melite order
Z During her lifetime the late princess
turned over the convent ana us sfGuh1s
to the French government. The lnsti-
tuition is consequently considered as
French property now. France, In turn,
placed il under the guardianship OF me
white Fathers allowing them tree
hand in its mana cement both spiritual
and temporal and in the carrying on OF
exploratory researches or excavations
whenever the occasion arose or an OBJ
portunity offered.
white Fathers Begin ElxcavatinE.
The White Fathers" have long held
TO the belief that the grounds must
cover the site OF some buried ancient
church or edifice in accordance with
long preserved. records in their posses
sion, and, acting on this belief eXcava-
lions were commenced in the western
section Of the extensive grounds.
The excavators we're not long IN com
ing upon the broken walls Of ruined
church, and, judging from the extent OF
the walls unearthed. this chuch must
have enjoyed quite liberal oimenslons.
1t measures some $50 feet in length
from entrance TO apse, the latter racing
eastWards. and its average width at the
nave is about so feet and at the tran
septs, so feet
FInd Beautiful sIosaics.
The main floor Of the nave still re-
mains unearthed. but those OF the tran
septs, the extent OF whose areas meas
ures some is feet square EACH have
been exposed TO view. They consist OF
beautifully laid mosaics in perfect
state OF preservation In the middle or
the floor Of the south transept is sunk
a baptismal Immersion pool some Two
feet in depth and four feet square, with
a nicely rounded and finished rim, all
wonderfully preserved The plasterlng
on the sides Of the walls enclosing this
transept shows traces Of large paint
On the floor Of the north transept
were found several shafts OF columns
scattered here and there among the
debris, and at the junction OF the west
ern corner Of the transept with the nave
were uncovered two or three tombs
containing human bones. on the tomb
stone Of one Of which is inscribed IN
Greek the name "IheodOrus.
Built BY Queen Helena.
Further up the nave, northeast OF the
south transept another bit OF mosaic
flooring was unearthed. disclosing that
there were two separate and distinct
floors Of different mosaic design, the
upper lying some two feet six inches
above the other making II clear that
the church's history covers two separate
periods, namely. The first period fol-
lowing its original construction by
queen Helena. mother Of Constantine
the Creator there IS now no doubt
that this is one OF the first three Chris
tian churches built in the Holy Land by
queen Helena some time during the