The Christian Lycia

[fatih]

Today Turkey is a civil state with a Muslim population of 98% but this has not always been the case as a quick glance at the countries chronological table will show.
In 392 AD. Theodosius the Great made Christianity the state religion and it remained so until the last Byzantium emperor, Constantine XI, died in battle in 1453.
Long before the birth of Christianity one learns from the Bible that much of the Old Testament drama happened on soil which is today defined as Turkey. The Garden of Eden, for example is placed in the fertile plain embraced between the Tigrus and Euphrates Rivers which have their sources in Turkey and the final resting place of Noah’s Ark is thought to be at Mt. Ararat, north of Lake Van.
Close by here in the province of Antalya, which in the days of the Classical Greeks and Romans, was known as Lycia. There is much evidence to be found supporting the very early Christian Church and the ruins of those young Byzantine Churches are to be seen at Xanthos, Letoon, Patara and other sites. Patara, especially, figured in quite a major way and is mentioned in the New Testament (Acts. 21:1-2) where the third missionary journey of St. Paul and St. Luke is written about.
"And it came to pass, that after we were gotten form them and had launched, we came with a strait course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara. Second, and finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went abroad and set forth."
In all probability, the Chritian Church was established in Patara in Apostolic times.
St. Nicholas of Myra (St. Claus) was born at Patara (BC.300) and spent his youth there and in AD. 325, bishop Eudemus of Patara attended the Council of Nicea.