The Graffiti from the “Great Church” in Sergioupolis-Resafa

Constructed during the sixth century, the “Great Church” in Sergioupolis-Resafa is a poster child for the late antique church building. A large three-aisled basilica which hosted the relics of Sergios, the city’s titular saint, the church was a major pilgrimage destination in Syria. Extant formal inscriptions attest to church hierarchy, recording the processions and interventions hosted by a local bishop. However, the church does not only attest to the formally sanctioned religious practices of the era, but also the small and personal inscriptions of the average supplicant. In the room adjacent to the relics of Saint Sergios, a diverse group of pilgrims scratched personal memorials into the plaster. These graffiti vary significantly in content from simple records of the name of a saint or pilgrim to common prayers and longer biblical quotations. This paper will present the graffiti found within the church to consider what each text and drawing communicates about its author, and the manner in which they practiced their religion. The case study will examine core questions surrounding whether the graffiti from the Great Church display individualised means of expression, or fall into pre-existing worship typologies, which do not communicate the desires or needs of the author.