It is the first monument in Bethesda or Sheep Pools, dedicated to Jesus' miracle of healing the 38-year paralytic man (John 5). This huge basilica (45M x 18M) was built by Juvenal, the Patriarch of Jerusalem (422-458). It was originally supported by seven arches, and was built over the dike and pools. It was dedicated to "St. Mary of the Probatic" (Probatic is sheep-pool in Latin). The church also appears on the 6th Cent Madaba map-the oldest available map of Holy Land. The Basilica was destroyed by Persians in 614 AD, but restored by the monk Modestus. Around 1010 AD, the Church was destroyed by Muslims. Today, what you can see are only the four column bases and remains of the mosaic floor of the church.
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