The Shrine of the Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist)
According to prevailing beliefs, the site is connected to Prophet John the Baptist (Prophet Yahya). The story recounts that after Prophet Yahya was executed by a Roman ruler, his followers transported his body to Sebastia, where they buried it in a cave beneath the current church building. His head was reportedly sent to Damascus, where it was placed in the Umayyad Mosque. The church and mosque are situated in the village square, bordered to the north by the Sebastia municipality, to the south by residential buildings, to the east by traditional structures, and to the west by a garden and park.
The church, built during the Byzantine period, is located at the eastern end, outside the Roman city walls. At that time, Sebastia served as an episcopal center, a status it retains today. In the fourth century AD, Queen Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, constructed several churches along the route that Jesus traveled between Bethlehem and Galilee, including this one to honor Prophet Yahya. However, this church was destroyed by earthquakes and a Persian invasion in the early seventh century AD. Due to its significant religious importance, the Crusaders rebuilt it in the tenth century AD on the ruins of the Byzantine church.
From the Crusader era, the church is described as being located in the town's historic center, to the east of the park. The outer churchyard floor is more than two meters below street level and is accessed by a later-added staircase. This square, paved with large stone tiles, extends beneath the adjacent street from the west. The front facade of the church remains at its original height, with the main gate leading to an inner courtyard designed in a basilica plan. The interior features a rectangular layout stretching from east to west, divided into three open halls by massive stone pillars.
Constructed with meticulously cut stones in the prevailing Crusader style, the church also incorporates parts of Byzantine foundations, particularly in the southern region. Residential and administrative annexes for monks were added to the southern side, while the shrine of Prophet Yahya remained in the church's center. This shrine underwent renovations in subsequent periods, and a small mosque was constructed above it. During the Ottoman era, a mosque and minaret were built on the eastern ruins of the church, and three rooms were recently converted into an antiquities museum.