By Rula Samain

RIHAB, Mafraq - Life in Rihab has gradually returned to its normal pace after this small town near Mafraq has, for the past two months, been in the spotlight.

Since archaeologists announced what they believed to be the first church in the world - a cave under a fourth century Byzantine church - the peaceful town has seen reporters, photographers and television crews massing outside the discovered cave, where the followers of Christ are said to have taken haven in the early Christian era.

The first church, dated from 33AD to 70AD, was found over a year ago but made headlines two months ago after it was published in The Jordan Times.

“As soon as the news of the cave church broke out, Rihab witnessed people from Jordan and all around the world coming to follow up on the discovery,” Mafraq Governor Zeid Zreiqat told The Jordan Times.

The New York Times, Fox News, National Geographic, ABC and dozens of other international media outlets showed interest in the story, and some sent their teams to report from Rihab.

ABC News correspondent Terry McCarthy was at the church site when he described his experience. “It is amazing to be inside a church 2,000 years old,” he said.

What also attracted the attention of the reporter was the social harmony between Muslims and Christians in the desert town.

A tribal leader, Ogla Akho Rashidah Al Khazaaleh, said both Muslim and Christian members of the Rihab community were thrilled at the news on the “first church in the world”, which made the town famous. It also attracted attention to the archaeological potential of the area, where dozens of churches were discovered.

The 75-year-old sheikh of the Khazaaleh clan said: “Rihab is worthy of such attention,” describing his town as “a big piece of mosaic”.

“As you walk around, you will sure step on an [undiscovered] mosaic piece here or there,” he said.

“I am not a specialist,” Khazaaleh said, “but the existence of many water wells and the almost 30 churches unearthed till now indicate that in the past Rihab was something big.”

Khazaaleh said that Rihab should be placed on Jordan’s and the world’s tourism map.

“Rihab should be treated on equal foot with Jerash, Petra and the rest of the historical places in Jordan.”

Zreiqat shared Khazaaleh’s aspiration of placing Rihab on the world tourism map.

“The time now is ripe for Rihab to have the same significance and focus as any other famous and historical place in Jordan.”

“The recent publicity will reflect positively on Rihab and its inhabitants. We need to invest in this attention the town has recently acquired,” the governor said.

If authorities succeed in promoting the area, “we could see local residents running bazaars and other facilities to serve tourists and thus lead a better life themselves”.

But he stopped short of announcing any practical step in that direction and despite repeated requests by The Jordan Times to interview Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Maha Khatib, the minister’s office did not respond.

The man behind the discovery, archaeologist Abdul Qader Al Hussan, director of the Rihab Archaeological Centre, declined to give any further statement because he received orders from the ministry not to speak to the press.

The Jordan Times approached Hussan for comments on sceptical remarks about the discovery of the cave church.

Ghazi Bisheh, former director general of Department of Antiques, among few, expressed doubts over the validity of the first church.

“Rihab embeds many caves and it is most unlikely that this cave was the first church,” he said, but admitted he has never been to the place or conducted any research himself.

“More evidence is needed before dating the cave as the first place in the world for worship,” he said.

On the other hand, archaeologist Mohammad Waheeb, who discovered the famous Baptism Site in the Jordan Valley, supported Hussan.

“Christianity started and grew here [in Jordan],” he said. “So it is not difficult to believe that the first church has been found in Rihab.”

“Studying the findings of the first church including pottery and coins provide tangible proof,” he told The Jordan Times.

Early Christians fled to the northern parts of Jordan escaping Roman persecution and the torture they were to face when caught spreading the new religion, he said.

He added that the Holy Koran supports the fact that the early Christians suffered all kinds of torment, which led them to escape to caves and mountains for shelter.

For Sheikh Khazaaleh and the town people, they believe Rihab has enough attractions to enter a new era and believe the ball in the policy makers’ court.