Throughout the years, various groups occupied the ancient Nabataean city of Petra. In 1990, Kenneth Russell, identified a Byzantine church which indicated the presence of a vibrant Christian community in Petra at about 450 – 500 CE. Excavations started soon afterward by archaeologists from the American Center of Oriental Research (ACOR). The site proved to be quite valuable, producing a cache of 140 papyrus scrolls. Mosaic floors with images of animals, vegetation and mythological figures. The scrolls are valuable in that they give a snapshot of life in the area. The scrolls include a will dividing property among three brothers, information on the local vineyards and evidence of the employment of slaves.

The church, which is now protected by a modern roof to shield the site, is one of three churches found at Petra.

Mrs. Laura Bush tours the Petra Church with Dr. Barbara Porter, Director of the American Center for Oriental Research, during a walk through the ancient city that included homes, a temple, an amphitheater and royal tombs. The church was discovered in 1973 by an American archeologist. It's estimated that the church was built in the fifth century and included three apses. The mosaic tile covered both church's side aisles. White House photo by Shealah Craighead

Her Majesty Queen Noor officially inaugurated the Petra Church in the ancient Nabataean city. Queen Noor, who is Honorary President of the Petra National Trust, noted that the church, which dates back to the 5th century, received international acclaim when a cache of 152 papyrus scrolls were uncovered at the site in 1993. The papyri, which constitute the largest group of written material from antiquity found in Jordan, are currently being deciphered and are yielding a wealth of information concerning the Byzantine period in the area.

HRH Prince Raad, Vice-President of ACOR, said that Jordan and the United States "have worked in cooperation so that all can enjoy this beautiful site." He added that the people of the Petra scrolls "tried to resolve their disputes peacefully" and expressed his hope that those who visit the site "will take with them some of this spirit of peace, friendship and understanding."

President of ACOR, Mr. Artemis Joukouwsky said that 25 years ago, ACOR’s Kenneth Russell first noticed the site’s potential importance. According to Mr. Joukowsky, "ACOR deliberately set out to create a model archaeological project," adding that it will provide "an attractive focus for tourism as well as the training of Jordanians in conservation and reconstruction. One of them, Fatma Marii, has just won a full-year internship at the Getty Museum is Los Angeles."

U.S. Ambassador Wesley Egan said that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) made the first of three grants to this project in October 1991, which resulted in over $1 million in U.S. support. He added that the project could not have been realized without the cooperation and direct material support from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Ministry of Planning and the Petra Regional Council.

Minister of Tourism Mr. Aqel Biltaji noted that the Petra Church Project’s budget "included substantial funds for conservation as well as the construction of a shelter to protect the beautiful mosaic pavement, which is the only substantial mosaic floor found south of Wadi Mujeb." The church’s mosaics include depictions of native and exotic animals as well as panels containing personifications of the Seasons, Ocean, Earth and Wisdom. The church’s baptistery, construction in the mid-5th century, is also one of the largest and best preserved in the entire Near East.

The purpose of the Petra Church Project is to enhance tourism in Petra by excavating and consolidating the church and its mosaics, and to protect them with a shelter over the site. The director of the project, Kenneth Russell, who identified the church in 1990, died tragically in May 1992. The project continued under the general direction of Pierre Bikai, who appointed Zbigniew Fiema, Khairieh ‘Amr and Robert Schick as co-directors.

Later, Queen Noor toured the excavation of the Petra Great Temple site, which represents one of the major archaeological and architectural components of central Petra. Since 1993, archaeologists from Brown University have been excavating the temple precinct under the auspices of the Department of Antiquities. According to the excavation director, Brown University’s Dr. Martha Sharp Joukowsky, the "style and quality of the temple’s elaborate floral friezes and acanthus-laden limestone capitals suggest that the sanctuary was constructed by the end of the 1st century BC by Nabataeans and continued to be in use until the late Byzantine period."

Attending the opening with Queen Noor were TRH Prince Raad Bin Zeid and Princess Majda Raad, Princess Wijdan Ali, Senator Leila Sharaf, ACOR’s Director and Co-Director Mr. Pierre and Dr. Patricia Bikai, Director of the Department of Antiquities Dr. Ghazi Bisheh, members of the board of Petra National Trust as well as members of the family of the late Dr. Kenneth Russell.