domus ecclesia

The term domus ecclesiae refers to early Christian meeting houses, which were private homes made available to Christian communities before Christianity was officially tolerated. These homes served as places of worship, with a spacious room designated for services. Other rooms were used for community activities like charity, study, and housing for clergy.1

The only surviving example of a domus ecclesiae from the 3rd century is in Dura-Europus, Syria. This home featured a sanctuary, a baptistery, and rooms around a courtyard. The names of early Christian basilicas in Rome, known as tituli, often correspond to the private homes where these congregations first met. These early structures were modest, in contrast to the more elaborate buildings constructed after Christianity became the state religion.1