“It is indeed great news for all of us that an ancient cross was found in Skardu. It shows that Christianity existed in this area,” said Mansha Noor, executive director of Caritas Pakistan.A massive ancient cross was discovered in northern Pakistan, indicating the existence of Christians in the region, according to a report at UCANews.com.
The giant marble cross, believed to be up to 1,200 years old, was found by a three-member expedition team from the University of Baltistan, Skardu in the mountain range of Kavardo in Baltistan.
“The huge cross of marble rock weighing 3-4 tons and measuring approximately 7×6 feet has been found some two kilometers from the base camp, high in the mountains of Kavardo, Baltistan, overlooking the Indus River,” the team said in a press release on June 14.
According to the UCANews report, researcher Wajid Bhatti identified the cross as a “Thomanian cross,” and said it was one of the largest crosses discovered on the subcontinent.
Dubbed the “Kavardo cross,” the finding could represent evidence that Christian communities once lived in the region.
“It is indeed great news for all of us that an ancient cross was found in Skardu. It shows that Christianity existed in this area and there must be a church and houses of Christians. There are currently no Christian families in that area, but they were once present,” said Mansha Noor, executive director of Caritas Pakistan.
“I request the authorities invite international historians to find out more about the accurate history of the cross,” said Noor.
