Ancient Antioch

If the lavish ornamentations of older churches in Europe are, in your opinion, the pinnacle of church greatness, St. Peter’s Grotto may not be the place for you. However, if the feeling of walking where some of the most significant figures in history have walked is your thing, you don’t want to miss a visit to ancient Antioch and this historic sight.

On the way to Antioch I passed by the ancient Syrian gates, the battlefield where Alexander the Great defeated the Persian king Darius III, and the road that leads to modern day Aleppo. So much history! This is one of the many reasons that we love living in Turkey.

Antioch, or Antakya as it is called today, is located in the Hatay Province of Turkey. Because it was founded at the turn of the 3rd century BC and because of its location, the history and diversity of this city is incredible. It is home to the following groups:

Greek Orthodox Christians
Jews
Muslims
Protestants
Roman Catholics
Syriac Christians

Ethnically it is half Arab and half Turk and has the reputation in Turkey of being one of the most tolerant cities in the country.

Historical giants such as Peter, Paul, Barnabas, Ignatius, and John Chrysostom have either spent significant time in Antioch or claim it as their home town.

St. Peter’s Grotto is a cave church located on Mt. Staurus. In Turkish the mountain is called Haç Dağı, which is interesting because the word “haç” in Turkish means “cross.” According to tradition, early Christians residing in Antioch met in caves, but scholars say this is unlikely because early Christians met in homes. (You can see what these homes looked like when you visit the ancient city of Ephesus. Make sure you spend the extra money to look at the Ephesus Terrace Houses.) Peter did visit Antioch and so this may be why Catholic and Orthodox tradition claim Peter as the first bishop of Antioch and why this church is named after him.

The church is simple, including a stone façade which was added later, an altar, and a baptismal pool. While some mosaics and frescoes can be seen, most are gone. This church may not have much by way of looks, but when I imagine the saints who gathered to worship in this place overlooking Antioch and throughout this ancient city, it is an incredible feeling to be sharing this sacred space with them.