Laodicea House Church

“For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis.  Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas.  Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.  And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.” Colossians 4:13-16

In 2020, excavations at the archeological site of Laodicea in the Lycus valley of Turkey, revealed a 2000 year old peristyle home near the north theater.  The huge home covers over 2000 square meters and over the 1st to 4th centuries was adapted numerous times.  It was clearly the dwelling of a very wealthy family.  The thinking is that the apsidal hall and narthex at the east side was converted to a church near the time that Christianity was legalized in the 4th century AD. The home has a pillared peristyle courtyard, atrium, bath, latrine and at least 19 living spaces.  The area nearest the north theater had spaces for shops on the exterior.  A large hall at the west side had niche fountains on both sides the entrance.  The flooring was beautiful mosaic tile and the narthex / church area had marble clad walls.  It’s likely that the house was two stories.  The earthquake in the early 7th century toppled most of the structure.

In the video, we walk into the pillared courtyard, then turn left into a small rectangular narthex, then into the apsidal hall converted to a church.  Articles we’ve read say that the excavation unearthed some “sacred items” in the house church, but we are unable to find a listing or description. Maybe one of you knows??  Note:  of course we realize that it is impossible to be certain this is the house church Paul is referring to in Colossians - but it attests to the fact of house churches in Laodicea and is an exciting glimpse into the development of Christian community and worship in Asia Minor.