Archaeologists excavating the site of the Great Basilica in Plovdiv, South Bulgaria, revealed colourful mosaics and murals showing St Peter. The decorations are dated to 13th-14th century AD.

The Great Basilica in Plovdiv was the largest early Christian church located in the Balkans. The remains are located near the intersection of the city’s Maria Louisa and Tsar Boris III boulevards, not far from the present Roman Catholic church. The excavations, which revealed the decorations of the building, are concentrated at the formerly unexplored area of the northern nave.

The decoration is thought to be the work of a Constantinople master, and a specimen of very precise and masterly craftsmanship. A fragment of a mural found by the archaeologists is believed to depict St Peter. Other finds also include a donor inscription bearing the name “Avram” in Byzantine Greek. In the lobby of the main entrance a number of depictions of beautiful birds were found, including a multi-coloured peacock. According to the experts, the Medieval frescoes found at the Episcopal Basilica are extremely rare.

(after The Sofia Globe)