Dormition of the Theotokos Church - Al-Aboudieh
The ancient Dormition of the Theotokos Church is located in the village of Aboud, 45 km northwest of Jerusalem and about 30 km north of Ramallah. It lies along the main Roman road via Jifna to Antipatris (Ras al-Ein).
The Church of Saint Mary, known locally as Al-Aboudieh, was rebuilt in 1058 AD and is situated in the heart of the village. This Greek Orthodox church has been dedicated to the Virgin Mary since the 12th century when the village was known as Saint Maria Castle.
The history of the church is deeply intertwined with the village’s development, marked by several phases of construction and restoration over the centuries. The original church was built in the 5th century AD during the Byzantine period. Remnants of this early structure, including the foundations and lower parts of the current church's outer walls, are still visible. The southern section of these remains consists of large stones standing four meters above the internal level. The church's internal dimensions were 12.20 x 12.30 meters (north-south) and 14.15 x 14.30 meters (east-west), with walls 0.90-1.20 meters thick on the eastern side. It features a semi-circular mihrab (2.5 meters in diameter) and an intact southern porch, suggesting it was originally a pillared church with arcades and six bays, likely roofed with wood.
In the mid-11th century AD, the church was rebuilt on a smaller scale, with a wooden roof replaced by vaults, similar to the current burial vaults. The north side portico was removed, and two columns were added to support the vaulted roof of the southern suite. An Aramaic inscription on the southern facade of the church dates from this period.
The third phase of construction occurred in the mid-18th century AD and included the western entrances, most of the windows, parts of the vaulted ceiling, and the entire northern section of the church.