Interior of Church

View northeast at the interior of the Church of Saint John (the Baptist).

On the right (east) side of the image the apse of the church is visible.  The trap door (open) just left of center leads down to the "grotto" where John the Baptist's head is said to have been discovered.

The church is located on the southern slope of the citadel at Samaria.  A late Christian tradition associates the finding of John the Baptist's Head with Sebaste.

The church was originally built in the sixth century AD and was rebuilt in the eleventh.

For general comments and a map of Samaria/Sebaste click here.