Unraveling the Ancient Tapestry: Exploring Turkey’s Rich Biblical History

The countryside spans a continent and is full of legends about holy men and women who toiled and worked miracles in what is now called Anatolia, or modern-day Turkey—the “second holy land.”

This is where the headwaters of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers flow south, and legend says that this is where they once made the Garden of Paradise fertile. Furthermore, these two peaks—where the Ark is supposed to have rested on the Ararat Mountains—are situated far to the north in Anatolia, stuck in glacial ice that appears to last forever. Standing at 16,920 feet in height, this majestic sleeping volcano is revered by Christians, Muslims, and Jews alike.

While he and the other wanderers traveled great distances to arrive in the land of Canaan, Abraham lived for seven years at Harran in this same Anatolian region.

The vast Anatolian Mediterranean coast hasn’t been entirely destroyed by development, as evidenced by its active port and enormous petroleum refinery. Here, it is said, God spared Jonah from the belly of “the great fish. ”.

What endures in this land is the sense of people’s tenacity in their search for the one God. In the brief springtime beneath the peaks of Mount Ararat, one is astounded by what the Mongol wrath left of the great ancient city of Harran and marvels at the overnight flowering of yellow bugle and silvery wormwood. All that is left is the notion that this is the place where Christianity peaked and spread to a great number of people.

The modernization incursions on the picturesque and historic Ionian coast seem out of place, especially when you venture outside of the major cities like Izmir, which was once known as biblical and Greco-Roman Smyrna. The villagers still cultivate olive trees and press olives for their oil using a process that hasn’t changed much in the last 2,000 years. Skilled hands continue to shape moist local clay as they have for centuries, and young men dance as long-lost generations danced before Abraham was even born.

See the remains of what is known as the “first metropolis of Asia,” Ephesus, and climb to the stunning basilica of St. John and pay a visit to the revered disciple’s tomb, where emperors have long looked for a healing in the crypt’s dust.

Here at Ephesus, it is said, John found sanctuary for Mary, the Mother of Jesus. In the midst of these lush hills rose a man whose tireless missionary work confirmed Anatolia’s claim to be the “second holy land.” ” ” The man, fittingly, was himself an Anatolian – a native of the port of Tarsus.

After this man crossed the oceans for Christ and shook and awakened the East with such fervor and eloquence, the world would never be the same.

Charles E. Adelsen, an American journalist, lives in Istanbul and writes frequently about the Middle East.

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Ancient Anatolia, located in modern Turkey, played a significant role in Bible history.

• According to Genesis 8:4, “And the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat on the seventeenth day of the seventh month.” Given that Mount Ararar is the highest peak in the region and rises to a height of 16,920 feet, it is reasonable to assume that Ararat is where Noah’s ark is resting. “As long as the earth is around, there will be seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.” ” ” (Genesis 8:22). (photo: Henry Angelo-Castrillion) .
• Old moslem man of Dyarbakir of almost patriarchal dignity. (photo: Henry Angelo-Castrillion) .
• Homes in the biblically-inspired Adiyman province of Southeast Turkey (image: Henry Angelo-Castrillion)
• Byzantine frescoes from the 14th and 18th centuries, which depict a variety of subjects, including Jonah and the Shale and the pontine emperors’ coronation, can be found in the Cave Church of the monastery of Sumela, which is situated near Trebizon on the Turkish Black Sea Coast. The monastery was established in the fourth century. (photo: Henry Angelo-Castrillion) .
• Asia is located beyond the Bosphorus and includes the Basilica of Hagia Irene (upper left) and the dependencies of Hagia Sophia (foreground) on the Byzantine acropolis. According to tradition, the apostle St. Here, Andrew crossed the Bosphorus on his way to become a martyr in Patras. (photo: Henry Angelo-Castrillion) .

The countryside spans a continent and is full of legends about holy men and women who toiled and worked miracles in what is now called Anatolia, or modern-day Turkey—the “second holy land.”

This is where the headwaters of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers flow south, and legend says that this is where they once made the Garden of Paradise fertile. Furthermore, these two peaks—where the Ark is supposed to have rested on the Ararat Mountains—are situated far to the north in Anatolia, stuck in glacial ice that appears to last forever. Standing at 16,920 feet in height, this majestic sleeping volcano is revered by Christians, Muslims, and Jews alike.

While he and the other wanderers traveled great distances to arrive in the land of Canaan, Abraham lived for seven years at Harran in this same Anatolian region.

The vast Anatolian Mediterranean coast hasn’t been entirely destroyed by development, as evidenced by its active port and enormous petroleum refinery. Here, it is said, God spared Jonah from the belly of “the great fish. ”.

What endures in this land is the sense of people’s tenacity in their search for the one God. In the brief springtime beneath the peaks of Mount Ararat, one is astounded by what the Mongol wrath left of the great ancient city of Harran and marvels at the overnight flowering of yellow bugle and silvery wormwood. All that is left is the notion that this is the place where Christianity peaked and spread to a great number of people.

The modernization incursions on the picturesque and historic Ionian coast seem out of place, especially when you venture outside of the major cities like Izmir, which was once known as biblical and Greco-Roman Smyrna. The villagers still cultivate olive trees and press olives for their oil using a process that hasn’t changed much in the last 2,000 years. Skilled hands continue to shape moist local clay as they have for centuries, and young men dance as long-lost generations danced before Abraham was even born.

See the remains of what is known as the “first metropolis of Asia,” Ephesus, and climb to the stunning basilica of St. John and pay a visit to the revered disciple’s tomb, where emperors have long looked for a healing in the crypt’s dust.

Here at Ephesus, it is said, John found sanctuary for Mary, the Mother of Jesus. In the midst of these lush hills rose a man whose tireless missionary work confirmed Anatolia’s claim to be the “second holy land.” ” ” The man, fittingly, was himself an Anatolian – a native of the port of Tarsus.

After this man crossed the oceans for Christ and shook and awakened the East with such fervor and eloquence, the world would never be the same.

The man was Saul. To the Church and history he is known as St. Paul.

Charles E. Adelsen, an American journalist, lives in Istanbul and writes frequently about the Middle East.

Get to know us and stay informed about the impact your support makes. Email address Leave this field empty if youre human:

Nous constatons que votre préférence linguistique est le français. Voudriez-vous être redirigé sur notre site de langue française?

Hemos notado que su idioma preferido es español. ¿Le gustaría ver la página de Asociación Católica para el Bienestar del Cercano Oriente en español?.

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