From the Region of Lycaonia

And we're moving! After another long trip, today we reached Konya, which in classical times it was called Iconium. This is another place visited by St Paul as we read in the Acts of the Apostles in 14,21 (at the end of his first missionary journey) and in 16,4 (at the beginning of the second missionary journey). Iconium was strategically placed on the great road which connected Syria with Ephesus and Rome. This made of the city a great commercial place, in the midst of a fertile countryside renowned for grain and fruit.

It is also a city connected with St Thecla, who was converted to Christianity by St Paul. Because of her faith she was persecuted and put to death. Miraculously she was saved from death and was able to flee the city, there to return later on to evangelize the citizens of this place. 

Two particular texts from the Acts speak of St Paul's presence at Iconium: Acts 14,1-26 and Acts 16,1-10.

Today the presence of Christians here is minimal. There is a Church dedicated to St Paul which is kept open and taken care of by two Italian consecrated lay women from the Fraternità Gesù Risorto (Fraternity of the Risen Jesus), from the Diocese of Trento in Italy. Members from this Fraternity have been here since March 1995. One of the lay consecrated women told us that they are here in gratitude for the fact that three missionaries from Iconium evangelized Trento in the fourth century. Now it was the turn of the Church in Trento to help keep the presence of the Church here in Iconium. What a beautiful example of Church communion! She also told us that there are no Christians who permanently live in Iconium. The Christian community here is mainly made of  refugees who have fled from Iraq or from Syria.

We celebrated Mass in this Church. Some Muslim Turks did peep in to see what's happening! We were told that Turks are quite inquisitive ... which is a first step for some answers in the faith to be given. Let's hope that the seed sown may bear fruit!

Profs Manns spoke about St John Chrysostom during his homily, whose feast we celebrated today. Chrysostom means “golden mouth”. He referred to the comparison made by Philo of Alexandria between the seven candles of the Menorah and the seven openings that we have in our head: two ears, two eyes, two nostrils, and one mouth. Philo says that we have one mouth because the mouth needs to create a balance for the other openings as the central candle of the Menorah is to balance of the other six candles of the Menorah. The mouth is to build, to create and to foster life. That’s how it could become a “golden mouth”.

On the way to Konya, in the morning we visited the site of a Monastery (Alahan) which is truly majestic. The origin of this Monastery goes back to the 5th Century, after Christ. The first monks lived in a cave up in the mountain, but as the community grew a whole complex was build which, at the end, included two basilicas and a baptistery among others. The baptistery is just amazing and still very much in good condition. The same could be said of the second basilica. The architecture of this Basilica is of a pure Byzantine style with a central nave and two adjacent naves on the side.

In Konya we went also to visit a monastery of a Muslim mystic by the name of Mevlana. He lived in the 12^th century. His writings include some formidable words of wisdom. Here is just a sample:

“I saw many people, no clothes on. Nice dress I saw no people inside.”

“In generosity and helping other, be like a river.

“In compassion and grace, be like the sun.

“In concealing others’ faults, be like night.

“In anger and fury, be like dead.

“In modesty and humility, be like dead.

“In tolerance, be like a sea.

“Either exist as you are, or be as you look.”

“One does not become a wise person by wearing a cloak and a turban. Wisdom belongs to one’s character, be it inside a silk dress or inside a coarse woolen cloth.”

The Byzantine Basilica at Alahan Monastery ... marvelous!

St Paul Church in Konya.