Goreme Open Air Museum Churches, Cappadocia Asia Minor (Turkey)
Goreme Open Air Museum Churches, Cappadocia Asia Minor (Turkey)
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia…”. 1 Peter 1:1
Cappadocia, the area of central Turkey known for its fairy chimney geologic formations and moon scape appearance, is mentioned twice in the Bible. Jews from Cappadocia were present in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:9), and Peter mentions the Christians exiled / dispersed to Cappadocia in 1 Peter. The volcanic tuff of this area made it easy to carve homes / caves / churches under and above ground. Goreme is a “newer” testament to the presence of Christians from Christianity’s earliest days. Most of the monastery “buildings” and chapels at Goreme were carved and occupied from the 10th to the 13th centuries. A monastic movement started in Cappadocia in the early 4th century and spread throughout the Byzantine empire, supported by the well known Cappadocian Church Fathers such as St. Basil, Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory of Nazianzus. They are known to have supported the doctrine of the Trinity, arguing against the persistence of Arianism even after the first council of Niceae.
Some of the most beautiful chapels do not allow photography. Please click on the video, a Russian woman was singing a Christian liturgy. Strictly speaking, one isn’t supposed to sing religious music in the chapels at Goreme. I got nervous and left the chapel and climbed all the way down to the path and sat on a bench. I could still her soft voice, the acoustics are amazing. Imagine the sounds when the chapels were busy and in use! Craig was brave and stuck it out to get the singer on video before a guard came and asked her to stop.
Goreme Open Air Museum, Cappadocia
