Keepers of the Faith – Going to Church in Goreme (Istanbul & Everything After #47)

Many years after my trip to Cappadocia, I mentioned the region to an acquaintance during a discussion on hot air ballooning. It is famous for hot air balloon rides over the sublime landscape. The mention of Cappadocia spurred another conversation with this gentleman. Though he had never been to Turkey, he had heard of Cappadocia, saying, “it is in the Bible.” This was his lone point of reference for the region. For a long time, it was mine as will. Through the Bible, I first became aware of Cappadocia, but I had no idea as a child sitting in Sunday school that it still existed today. I assumed that most biblical places had been renamed. They were too exotic, especially when compared to the place names of the world in which I lived, to seem real.

Cappadocia was one of many biblical places that I believed had attained semi-mythical status. There were no map lessons in Sunday school showing the location of biblical places like Cappadocia. They were all said to be in the Middle East, but exactly where remained a mystery. For all I knew, Cappadocia could have been in Israel or Egypt. It might have been a village, town, or city filled with primitive people walking around in robes and bare feet. Cappadocia was a strange sounding, faraway place that might or might not still exist. Let alone, the kind of place you might want to visit. For an American without any real-world reference, Cappadocia might as well have been on another planet. The fact that I had even heard of it was a testament to the power of religion in America.?

Deep Roots - Place of Pilgrimage

Surveys consistently show that Americans are more religious than citizens of other countries in the western world. As such, many Americans look to Christianity for spiritual sustenance. There is widespread interest in the Bible, both as a basis for faith and as a guide to the Holy Land. I have met several Americans who have either traveled to the Holy Land or told me it is on their must-see list. For Christians in America, a trip to the Holy Land is akin to Muslims making the pilgrimage to Mecca. An experience that affirms their faith. It is easy to understand why so many American Christians want to visit the Holy Land since so many places referenced in the Bible can be found there. Other areas referenced in the Bible, but not located in the Holy Land tend to get overlooked. Cappadocia is one of them.

My visit to the Goreme Open-Air Museum impressed upon me the deep roots of Christianity in Cappadocia. Thirty churches from the Middle Ages are part of the museum. I am not an expert on sites affiliated with the history of Christianity, but I would challenge anyone to find a region besides the Holy Land that offers more to Christian tourists than Cappadocia. In addition, the churches, along with Cappadocia’s monasteries and underground cities, will be of interest to anyone interested in the Middle Ages and religious history. While Israel is the Holy Land, Cappadocia is a Holy Land. One whose sacral architecture and historic sites are of vital importance to an understanding of early and medieval Christianity. Both armchair scholars and seekers of spiritual guidance would do well to make this pilgrimage.

History & Religiosity – A Powerful Combination

Our tour was not anyone’s idea of a religious pilgrimage. The younger members of the group had been seduced by different spirits on this tour. Ones that are found mainly in a bottle. The rest were interested in these sites more out of historical, rather than religious interest. One of the most intriguing aspects of these sites was that Muslim Turkey maintained the churches with great care. That is no easy feat, owing to their age and the fragility of medieval artwork. Not to mention the number of churches which need attention. Cappadocia has over a thousand churches still standing today along with over 150 monasteries. And though the ethnic Greek population which sustained many of them up until the early 20th century were forced to relocate in the post-World War I population exchanges, the churches remain as testament to the legacy of Christianity.

Cappadocia and Christianity cannot be separated. They are inextricably connected to the point that it would be hard to imagine one without the other. The region’s role in the history of Christianity goes well beyond the Bible. The city of Casearia (now Kayseri, Turkey) was the site for several important ecumenical councils. Cappadocia was also at the center of events during the iconoclastic controversy that shook the Byzantine Empire during the eighth and ninth centuries. Religious imagery in churches came under attack for idolatry. Churches in Cappadocia suffered during this time, but religious imagery returned to them better than ever. The Byzantine influences are profound. For an American used to austere and staid Protestantism, the interiors of Cappadocia’s rock churches are electrifying.?

Eternal Home – Cappadocia’s Churches

The churches I visited in the Goreme Open-Air Museum were from the 11th and 12th centuries. Their frescoes and mosaics were incredibly well preserved. The amount of care that was taken to create them is reflected in how long and well so much of the imagery has lasted. The fact that anything painted on rock walls, no matter the material, has lasted almost a thousand years is simply remarkable. Miracles and faith go hand in hand, perhaps that goes some in explaining the longevity of these churches and the renderings upon their walls. The features of those depicted exhibit a high degree of artistic skill in their form and movement. The colors that were used in the painting are still vivid today. One can only imagine the radiance when these churches were first constructed. The uniqueness of the churches is even represented in their names. The Church of the Apple (Elmah Kilisie), Church of the Sandals (Carikli Kilisie), Dark Church (Karanlik Kilisie), Church of the Snake (Yilani Kilisie), Church of St. Barbara (Azize Barbara Kilisesi). Each of these churches is just as unique as the Cappadocian landscape where they have found an eternal home.