Ataturk put the beauty of the Hagia Sophia on exhibition for the world to see, but in 2020, Erdogan repurposed the space to display Islam. As a result, a visit hides multiple Christian sacred items once displayed for touring. This write-up will detail the hidden Christianity that the Hagia Sophia now shuns. In January 2024, the status and entrance of the site changed. Before, the balcony was off-limits, but now the ground floor and courtyard are no longer accessible through a normal entrance.
[Read more…] about The New Hidden Items in the Hagia Sophia
Searching Below the Surface – Look at unexpected Islamic ideas.
In reading, Searching Below the Surface: A Deeper Look at Covenant and Contract, one expects simple answers to complex issues. However, exploring a much-needed contrast between how the God of the Bible functions in a covenant manner and the Islamic Allah in a contractual way will take the reader into a Scripture dig. The foundations help one to understand marriage as an outcome of these beliefs, leading each of us to discover why biblical marriage is a covenant, not contractual – like Islam.
[Read more…] about Searching Below the Surface – Look at unexpected Islamic ideas.
The Many Mysteries of Karaalioğlu Park in Antalya
The Karaalioğlu Park is supposedly named after a local family, but bears the name of one of the Sultan’s most notorious and feared executioners. The elevated park, which is evident near the government building, buries a Greek graveyard and the sacred area of the Greek metropolitan church and monastery. The city museum, which sits on the road called “Church Street,” accords no credence to the former church that stood on the grounds for a few hundred years.
[Read more…] about The Many Mysteries of Karaalioğlu Park in Antalya
New Evidence for St. John’s Church at Antalya’s Yivli Minare?
For centuries, the remains of a former Byzantine church have remained hidden beneath the medieval layers of the Yivli Minare Mosque in Antalya. Yet evidence of this Christian past has not disappeared. It lies scattered in the open. The Yivli Minare Mosque and the Seljuk walls of Kaleiçi preserve clues to an earlier structure on this hilltop. Now, newly exposed areas from excavations around Yivli Minare invite us to look again at what once stood here.
The excavations reveal more of a medieval complex constructed over an earlier Byzantine Christian structure. As archaeologists uncover new areas and identify objects associated with the site, they provide an opportunity to ask an important question: What can these discoveries tell us about the Byzantine church known as St. John’s Church and the Christian community that once occupied this prominent place in Antalya?
[Read more…] about New Evidence for St. John’s Church at Antalya’s Yivli Minare?
Understanding Chalcedon before the Council of 451 AD
The gospel reached Chalcedon long before the Council of Chalcedon (AD 451). Ancient Bithynia, mentioned in the Bible (Acts 16:7 and 1 Peter 1:1), became a key region for the spread of Christianity. By the time the council met, Christians had flourished there for centuries.
[Read more…] about Understanding Chalcedon before the Council of 451 AD
Two Forgotten Monuments of Ephesus
In the Ephesus Museum in Vienna, a few items dominate that no longer exist at the ancient site. The Harbor Gymnasium and the Parthian Battle Wall are forgotten monuments that do not appear at the ancient site. Yet, in Vienna, these items dominate the rooms.
[Read more…] about Two Forgotten Monuments of Ephesus
Analyzing the Celsus Library statues in Vienna
The original statues from the Celsus Library now stand in Vienna, far from their ancient home in Ephesus. What can we learn by comparing the statues Vienna displays with what remains at the ancient site? Their journey from Ephesus to Vienna opens a fascinating story about archaeology, empire, and the decisions that shaped what we see today.
[Read more…] about Analyzing the Celsus Library statues in Vienna
From Ephesus to Vienna: Surprises in the Ephesos Museum
When I planned a visit to Vienna, I had no idea the city was home to a museum dedicated to Ephesus. Having recently walked through the archaeological site of Ephesus myself, I was intrigued when my research kept linking to Vienna and the collections preserved there. Visiting the museum added another dimension to my experience. Seeing artifacts, maps, and statues connected to Ephesus gave me a broader perspective on the ancient city and helped me better understand the archaeological site I had recently explored.
[Read more…] about From Ephesus to Vienna: Surprises in the Ephesos Museum