The fourth century purposely gathered the religious leaders of the day to clearly define what the Bible says about the most essential teachings. So what about today? We have explored all the remains of the 20 churches that once stood in ancient Nicaea, but how does the Nicene Creed challenge Iznik today? The city hosted the council; what would people say about the creed’s beliefs today?
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Byzantine Finds outside of the city of Nicaea – Iznik
Many archaeological digs continue to reveal beautiful finds, such as the fresco of Jesus the Good Shepherd in Iznik. Some key and extraordinary archaeological finds have been found outside the ancient walls of Nicaea (Iznik) in Türkiye. Let’s consider what they are, and if you visit them, you’ll most likely need extra time to find them.
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More Than a Moment — Our Civilizational Calling
“Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do—200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command.” 1 Chronicles 12:32 (ESV) Like this verse, how can we know what to do in our spiritual civilizational moments?
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Jvaris Mama Church with its Armenian and Georgian Churches
In the walled area of the Jvaris Mama complex sits two churches that source in two different orthodox churches. The Jvaris Mama is Georgian while the St. Mary Church is Armenian. The Georgian is active while the Armenian building sits as a hollow shell reserved for pigeons. Let’s explore this monastery complex.
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The Oldest 5th-6th Century Churches in Tbilisi, Georgia
Visiting the capital city, Tbilisi, where all the churches seem to look alike, which ones are the oldest churches in Tbilisi? Here is a list of the oldest churches (considering when first built) that will provide insight into how the Georgian Orthodox church has remained the religious center for over 1,500 years.
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Discovering the Proof of Greek Churches in Izmit
The Byzantine churches spoke Greek and became a part of the Greek Orthodox Church in 1054 A.D. with the Great Schism. So, when we see Greek church buildings in Turkiye from the 18th and 19th centuries, we can assume that, in many places, there existed a Byzantine church at that location before or nearby. Let’s explore this possibility.
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