Archaeologists in northern Italy have located what they believe are the remains of an early Christian church mentioned by St. Jerome in A.D. 396, as well as a nearby structure thought to have served as a bishop’s residence in the ancient city of Altino.
Ca’ Foscari University of Venice announced the findings on Oct. 15, marking a significant step in uncovering Altino’s early Christian history. Excavations carried out in September and October 2026, combined with evidence collected in 2025, enabled researchers to identify structures previously known primarily through written records.
“For the first time, we can say with a very high degree of confidence where the church and the bishop’s palace of Altino stood. Written sources told us they must have existed; now we have archaeological evidence to support this,” said Diego Calaon, the university’s excavation director, in a translated statement.
The church’s existence was documented in the writings of St. Jerome, a prominent early Christian theologian and scholar. In Letter 60, addressed to Heliodorus, regarded as Altino’s first bishop, Jerome described the dedication of a young priest named Nepotian to maintaining the church.
Written in A.D. 396, the letter refers to various features of the building, including its altar, walls, floors, curtained entrances and sacred vessels. Researchers say the historical account aligns with the estimated period of the church’s construction.
The newly identified building consists of a rectangular hall approximately 30 meters long and 20 meters wide, equivalent to about 98 by 66 feet. Archaeological evidence places its construction between the late fourth century and the first half of the fifth century.
Unlike nearby Roman buildings, the church is oriented toward the east and does not follow the surrounding street layout. It also lacks the rounded apse commonly associated with church architecture. University researchers say these characteristics resemble early Christian building traditions found elsewhere in the northern Adriatic region.
A second major structure discovered directly east of the church is believed to have functioned as the bishop’s palace. Archaeologists identified a covered portico, interior dividing walls and additional rooms, while the building’s substantial foundations indicate that it may have had two floors.
Evidence from Late Antique mosaics suggests that clergy members may have occupied the upper level, with portions of the ground floor potentially used as burial areas for bishops or other influential individuals.
Researchers also found that the complex’s foundations incorporated trachyte paving stones originally used in Roman roads. The stones, made from durable volcanic rock, had been placed upside down.
Because Roman roads were protected under Roman law, archaeologists believe the reuse of these materials points to the considerable civic authority held by Altino’s bishop.
