Historic National Philoptochos Pilgrimage to the Ecumenical Patriarchate adn Cappadocia Part 3

Some pilgrims left the group at Constantinople and returned to the United States due to conflicting commitments. The remaining pilgrims flew to Keyseri (Caesarea) in the heart of Cappadocia. This land of Greek Orthodox churches and dwellings was carved into the soft tufi rock formations left behind by the eruption of three surrounding volcanoes and centuries of erosion. Multi colored canyons filled with conical structures, many topped with whimsical caps of hard volcanic rock, outline ancient river beds gouged into to flat plains of the area.

Multilevel monasteries with churches and chapels and multilevel cities permeate the mountains. Their doors and rooms are now visible since the outer walls have collapsed over time but were invisible to invaders who saw only solid cliffs and mountainsides. Mill stones were rolled over small entrances hidden behind shrubs or clefts in the rock. Ventilator shafts brought in fresh air. Smoke from cooking fires was routed through tunnels to exits far from the settlement. This was healthier but the smoke was absorbed by the rock of the tunnels or was so far from the settlement that invaders did not trace it back to the inhabitants.

Chapels were designed with traditional configurations of a church including domes, apses and columns. Chapels were covered with appropriate icons on every square inch of wall. Few chapels are intact with damage to icons evident from both ancient iconoclasts and from graffiti. The pilgrims climbed up, down, around, through, over and under to see these wonders which witnesses the hardship and martyrdom of the ancient Christians. Prayers were offered in these sacred spaces of antiquity for those fallen asleep in the Lord and for our families and loved ones.

Another highlight of the trip was viewing these wonders from a hot air balloon. Over a dozen pilgrims took to the sky to see the geologic wonders of Cappadocia from this vantage point. Marveling at God’s work in the hills and formations of the vast plains and valleys, appreciating man’s creativity in literally carving an existence from these hills and fields, reveling in the total serene silence, jumping at the powerful blast made by ignition of the gases that kept our huge balloon aloft, soaring to 4500 feet surrounded by dozens of colorful balloons in the air around us, seeing our shadow slowly drift across the face of the cliff, and precisely landing on a trailer the exact size of the basket will all be experiences everyone loved and no one will forget.

On level ground we viewed demonstrations and shopped at a turquoise and onyx factory, a pottery facility making the famous red clay pottery of Cappadocia, and a wool and silk rug center that are supported by the government to help maintain the centuries old skills of craftsman using local resources. We experienced a contemporary event within an ancient site of Cappadocia: the whirling ceremony SEMA of the Whirling Dervishe.

This ritual, originating in the 1200’s, was held in an historic Carevanserai, one of the ancient inns spaced one day’s camel walk from each other all along the Silk Road to the East. One could easily imagine colorful tents and lavish rugs, sights and smells of animals, cooking and weary travelers and the cacophony of voices raised in greeting, argument, bartering and prayer.

The cities of Cappadocia were inhabited by Greeks until they were uprooted in 1922. Evidence of the finely built stone structures in the main area of a town was obvious yet few were well maintained. The vast fields of wheat, grapes for Cappadocian wine, apricot trees and melon fields no longer reflect any Greek presence here. One observer put it succinctly, "There were no wealthy Turks until 1922." We were heartened to be able to light a candle at the Museum Church of St. Constantine and Helen where His All Holiness is given permission by the local government to celebrate the Divine Liturgy periodically.

Cappadocia proved to be fascinating, spiritually uplifting, educational, physically challenging and worth every single minute. Seeing what those of our faith have endured leaves a special core of appreciation within each of us for those who were persecuted and thankfulness and humility for the richness and freedom of our own religious experiences and religious freedom. We must recognize and participate in the continued fight for religious freedom for the Ecumenical Patriarch, the Orthodox faithful, and the religious minorities of Turkey.

Each of us who made the pilgrimage encourages all Philoptochos members and chapters to participate generously in the November Ecumenical Patriarchate Commitment Drive. There is such a need. In the global view, we must not let the Phanar and its vital presence to Orthodoxy since the earliest years of Christianity, our own Christian presence, and site of the world’s Christian roots be erased. We will continue our cooperation with the Archons of St. Andrew and keep you informed of the needs of the ministries of the Phanar.

Faye Peponis, Chairman and Pilgrim
Ecumenical Patriarchate Committee

Return to Pilgrimage to Ecumencial Patriarchate menu...