The Book of the Revelation of John

By most people, Turkey is known as a touristical country. Actually, it is visited each year by millions of people because of it's wonderfull location, pleasent climate, delicious seas and lots of historical sites. But only a few people know that Asia Minor is a significant site of Christian history of religion.

Though Christian Religion was born in Jerusalem,

it developed and took shape in Anatolia.

After crucifiction and the assasination of Stephan, many people, under opression of Jews and Romans, fled from Jerusalem and brought the Evangelium to Anatolia (Acts of teh Apostles, 8: 1-2).

Paul was born in this country (Tarsus) and started all his journeys in Antioch-on-the Orontes (today's Antakya).

The very first Roman Emperor to tolerate and adopt Christianity ruled in Constantinople
(today's Istanbul) and shortly after that, in 393 A.D.,

Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire.

Paul spent 10 years on missionary journeys and wrote during this time letters to churches he had founded and could not visit in person.

The letter to the "Colossians" was written to the church near Denizli.

The letter to the "Galatians" was written to the church in Central -Anatolia.

The letter to the "Ephesians" was written to the church in Aegean.

Well-known sites are The Seven Churches of Revelation, mentioned in The Revelation of John, which were not church buildings but early congregations.

They all are located within the boundaries of the Aegean Region.Some of them were founded by Paul on his missionary journeys between 47-57 A.D..

Three of them are still living cities: Smyrna (Izmir),

Philadelphia (Alasehir) and Thyatira (Akhisar).

Churches as

Pergamum, Laodicea, Sardis and Ephesus are well-known archeological sites.

From the Revelation:

4John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits[a] before his throne,

5and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,

6and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father-to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

7Look, he is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.
8"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
One like a Son of Man

9I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

10On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,

11which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches:

to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea."

12I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,

13and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man,"[b]dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.

14His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.

15His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.

16In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

17When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.

18I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

19"Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.

20The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels[c] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

The Seven Churches of Apocalypse, which can be considered as a pilgrimage,

but a lot of people cannot attend such journeys because of remote location, high age, sickness etc..

For those, who are not able to take part on such long trips, we have created this website.