Archaeologists Uncover Great Church of Jesus in Sudan
Polish and Sudanese researchers have exposed a monumental staircase and original floor of the Nubian church at Old Dongola.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Christianity
Polish and Sudanese archaeologists uncovered a monumental staircase and the original floor of the Great Church of Jesus in Old Dongola, the former capital of the Nubian Christian Kingdom of Makuria. The team also discovered a second church on the upper floor of an adjoining structure.
Why it matters
The find sheds light on the religious and political life of Makuria, a Christian kingdom that once dominated the Nile valley in northern Sudan. Because only a small section of the church has been excavated, much of its layout and history remains to be documented.
The Great Church of Jesus is estimated to measure 47 meters wide and 57 meters long, with a possible height of 21 meters, but only a small section has been excavated so far. Researchers have recovered fragments of painted plaster filling six storage racks, and the full extent of the building is still unknown.
The players
University of Warsaw
The University of Warsaw is one of Poland's leading public universities, and its Polish Center of Mediterranean Archaeology leads the research team.
The details
Researchers from the University of Warsaw's Polish Center of Mediterranean Archaeology first identified the structure in 2021 and have since exposed an imposing staircase and the buttresses supporting its apse. Fragments of Greek inscriptions containing biblical hymns, including part of the prayer of Hannah, were among the finds.
Timeline
2021: Researchers first identified the Great Church of Jesus.
1960s: Polish archaeologists began research in Old Dongola.
Earlier this year: Team uncovered a 400-year-old text confirming an African king's existence.
Season Trajectory
The excavation at Old Dongola builds on decades of Polish research in the former Makuria capital that began in the 1960s. The Great Church of Jesus adds a major architectural piece to the record of Nubian Christianity, which flourished along the Nile before the kingdom's decline.
The excavation is ongoing, and the team plans to continue work at the Great Church of Jesus. Readers interested in the history of Christianity in Africa can follow future announcements from the research team.
The takeaway
The discovery at Old Dongola reminds readers that Christianity took root across Africa long before many modern histories acknowledge. Further excavation may reshape how the Nubian kingdoms are understood within the wider story of the faith.
Further reading
Explore more on Christianity and how early Christian kingdoms shaped the ancient world.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Tvpworld.
