The geography of Anatolia, which is considered the cradle of civilization, contains many structures that are considered sacred in different cultures. Among these, seven ancient churches in the Aegean Region have a special importance. These churches in the region are considered to be the seven great churches of the early Christian period. These churches, whose names are mentioned in the revelation part of the Bible written by John, are referred to as “7 Golden Lampholders”. According to belief; Hz. John, who met with the Prophet Jesus and was one of his 12 apostles, sent seven letters to these churches and the congregation containing advice on the apocalypse. While some of the letters sent to the community contain warning messages, some contain praise.
These churches, which were founded during the most powerful period of the Roman Empire, were named after the city in which they were located. Churches, which are of great importance in terms of the history of world religions, have a symbolic importance in the religion of Christianity. The cities where churches were founded became important trade centers of their time. At the same time, they were accepted as the pilgrimage center of the Christian religion. These seven churches during the period when Christianity was under pressure played a major role in the spread of Christianity in Anatolia.
Some of the churches where the letters were sent were not found at that time and were built later by the congregation to whom the letter was sent. The construction of churches for seven congregations took place with the acceptance of Christianity by the Roman Empire. Today, the construction dates of the churches that are thought to be related to these communities vary. The first seven congregations and churches to which the letter was sent are also called the “Seven Churches of the Apocalypse”.
Beliefs About the Seven Churches
The western region of Anatolia, which was affiliated to the Roman Empire, was referred to as the province of Asia at that time. St. John; While in exile on Patmos Island, he wrote letters to seven independent churches and congregations. The majority of the letters sent to these churches, which show serious deviations from the foundation of truth, are of a cautionary nature. The purpose of the letters written in the name of Christ the Redeemer is to invite them to repentance and return to their original love. It is believed that these churches, which are believed to have written information about the Apocalypse, will survive until the Day of Judgment.
According to belief; Hz. Jesus Christ met with John and gave messages to be delivered to the churches. After God has given his final battle, he will inform these seven churches that the apocalypse will break. The apocalypse will begin later and there will be seven years. Then Hz. Jesus will descend into one of these seven churches. After this period, the Kingdom of God, called the “Golden Age” of millennia, will reign. In the Christian belief, the number 7 means completeness and is mentioned in many places in the Bible. The number of churches and congregations sent is 7 because of this reason.
The churches, which are dedicated to the 7 communities mentioned in these letters and believed to survive in the apocalypse, are called “Apocalyptic Churches”. Apocalyptic Greek means “to open something that is covered, to unveil it”. The texts in the revelation part of the Bible are apocalyptic texts. The peculiarity of these texts is that they are about the end of the world. According to apocalypticism, God revealed the secrets about the world, which was nearing its end, to some people to tell people. These people learned and wrote them through visions, dreams. In order for a text to be apocalyptic, it must inform about the last days, address the suffering believers, and use figurative language.
The Seven Churches to which the Letters were Sent;
1- Ephesus (Ephesus) Church
Located in the ancient metropolis of Ephesus, in the Selcuk district of Izmir, this church is the place where the holy book advises to avoid evil and to work hard. According to belief, St. After the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, St. John and the Virgin Mary settled in this secluded place in Anatolia. The first Christian community began to form Virgin Mary Church in Ephesus, It is considered an important pilgrimage center for Christians. The letter that St. John sent to the church warns the Christians living in the region against the old gods and evils there.
2- Izmir (Smyrna) Church
Known as Smyrna during the Roman Empire, İzmir has always been one of the important port cities of the Aegean Region. Izmir, an important trade center, was among the largest cities of its time, together with Bergama and Ephesus. The ancient city of Smyrna, which has the title of the first city of Asia, is located in the Izmir Agora Open Air Museum. This church, which went through hard times and suffered hardships and suffered severe persecution, is one of the seven churches to which letters were written. In the revelation section for the church here; There are words of encouragement that he will suffer for ten more days but remain faithful.
3- Bergama (Pergamon) Church
Bergama, which has hosted many different civilizations including the Ancient Greek, Hellenistic and Roman periods, is located on the edge of Bakır Stream today. Known as Pergamon, the city was the capital of the Asian state during the Roman Empire. According to the Christian narrative, an angry group in Bergama burned St. Antipas alive in 92 and martyred him. This event is known as the first martyrdom in the history of Christianity. In the letters, the church was counseled to “avoid false teachers.”
4- Salihli (Sardes) Church
Sardes, which was the capital of the ancient Lycian Kingdom, which ruled in the Southern Aegean before the Roman Empire, is located in the Salihli district of Manisa today. Located near Sert Village, the ancient city is one of the most important tumuli in the world.To the Thousand Hills’‘ hosts. The church in the city became a Reformed Church, known for its Orthodoxy at the time. The ancient city, which was famous for its wealth in its period, was criticized for being insufficient in terms of belief and advice was given in the letters to strengthen its belief.
5- Alaşehir (Philadelphia) Church
Established on the slopes of Bozdağ, the Ancient City of Philadelphia is located in Manisa Alaşehir today. During the Roman Empire, the city had a large Jewish population. Located among the ruins of the ancient city, St. Jean Church is a church that is very committed to the word of God. In the letters sent to the church due to the persecution of the Jews by the Christians; They were praised for their determination and patience in their faith. The city of Philadelphia in the United States took its name from this ancient city.
6- Denizli (Laodikeia) Church
Laodikeia, a Hellenistic city founded in the 3rd century BC, was the capital of Northern Phrygia during the Phrygian Kingdom. The church in Laodikeia is thought to be older than the Christian consuls in Iznik and Istanbul. The ancient city, also known as the center of banking, was one of the richest cities of its time. Despite being rich, the church, which was spiritually inadequate, trusted its own material interests and did not turn to God.
Water was carried to the city by aqueducts from the hot springs located near the ancient city. These waters, which warmed the drinking water, made the water undrinkable. For this reason, this church is mentioned in the revelation part as follows; “I know what they did. You are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot! You are neither hot nor cold, you are warm. That’s why I’m going to vomit you out of my mouth. You say I’m rich, I’m rich, I don’t need anything; but you don’t know that you are poor, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”
7- Akhisar (Thyateira) Church
Thyateira Ancient City, located in Akhisar district of Manisa, is one of the most important industrial cities of its period. The ruins of the ancient city are located in the Tepe Mezarı area in the city center of Akhisar. According to the Bible, a woman named Jezebel seduced Christians in the city of Thyateira, causing them to sin. In the letter sent to the church, Christians were warned against Jezebel and advised to take the right path.
