St. Sofia, Instanbul

Emperor Constantine was the first Christian Roman emperor. Istanbul was formerly known as Constantinople and St. Sofia was a cathedral. With the city falling into the hands of the Ottoman Turks the cathedral became a mosque. All Christian drawings were covered with plaster. Now the building is a museum and the removal of the plaster brought back fresh images of early Christian paintings. The stained glass panels remained intact following the orders of a sultan.

Saint Sophia a museum now.

Notice both Christian and Islamic decorations.

The largest Cathedral in Europe at one time.

Ceiling decoration.

Angulated to point to Mecca.

The Virgin Mary and Christ previously hidden by plaster.

Grandstand for the Sultan during prayers.

Some of these pillars may have been taken from the temple of Artemis in Ephesus.

An angel.

Christ and Emperor Constantine.

Gerome Valley, Cappadocia

Dinning room of the monks with seats made of rock.

Hundreds of chapels carved into the hillsides date back to 373 AD.

The rock formation is spectacular. There were Greek Orthodox monasteries built into the rocks. These places were excellent sites for religious studies and self reflection.  Unfortunately the churhes with its wall paintings of Christ were defaced. Most of the Christian Greeks were forced to leave Turkey following the imposition of the Greek Turk Transfer of 1923.

Ephesus

Former Roman official residences

Sculptures

The Arcadian Way leading to the ancient city of Ephesus where the apostles Paul and John visited.

A Roman fountain

Mosaic walkway.

Facade of a rich man's house.

Toilet bowls in a row to cater for the numerous sea farers.

The Library of Celsus built by a former slave from Rome.

Statue at the Library of Celsus.

An amphitheater where gladiators once fought

The church in Ephesus was one of the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation. The apostle John wrote the Gosple of John and the 3 Epistles in Ephesus. He wrote the Book of Revelation on the  island of Patmos.  During the time of Christian persecution he brought Jesus's mother Mary to safety in Ephesus. The house of the Virgin Mary was discovered in the 19th century from the description in a book which recorded the vision of Anne Catherine Emmerich a Roman Catholic nun.  John the apostle died of old age in Ephesus.