In Antioch

From Tarsus, yesterday we made our way to Antioch on the Onrontes River. This is an very important place in the early history of the Christian Faith. In the Greco-Roman world, Antioch was one of the three largest and most important cities, alon with Rome and Alexandria. Today the city is known as Antakya. It is just north of the Syrian border and right now, we've been told, there are quite a number of refugees fleeing from the civil war in Syria. Apart from a small group of people holding some banners, we haven't really seen anything out of normal.

One of the seven men in the Jerusalem church, chosen "to wait on tables" was from Antioch. His name was Nicolaus (Acts 6,5). Antioch became one of the leading centers of Christianity in the early centuries. The city plays a large role in the opening chapters of the Christian movement, being visited by both Peter and Paul as well as serving as the home base for Paul's missionary activities. It is in Antioch that the followers of Jesus were first called "Christians" (Acts 11,26). It is also held by some biblical scholars that Matthew wrote his Gospel in Antioch. One of the earliest saints of Christianity, St Ignatius, was the third (or for some the second) bishop of Antioch.

Other names of early Christians linked to Antioch include St Mark and St Barnabas.

Today, we celebrated Mass at the Catholic Parish Church of Antakya. The Parish Priest, Fr Dominic, a Capuchin Friar, spoke to us about the positive relations there is with the Orthodox Church and the collaboration there is between the two Churches. He also told us that the Catholic Community here was granted the permission to celebrate Easter on the same day of the Orthodox to avoid confusion. The Christian community here in Antioch is of about 2000 persons, of whom only some 70 are Catholic. We had the opportunity to meet some of these members.

I was moved to watch two of these members actively participating during Mass. How refreshing it is to see a lively, although small, community of disciples of Jesus! 

Today we had the occasion to visit also Seleucia Pieria (today Samandag) which served as a harbour for Antioch. We visited also the Church of St Peter where tradition has it that St Peter had his first cathedra. Here we recited together the Nicenean-Constantinopolitan Creed to reaffirm that same faith that Peter and Paul and all the other apostles professed. This we did also in preparation for the beginning of the Year of the Faith, a month from today (11 October 2012). We visited also the Hatay Archaeological Museum with its marvellous collection of ancient mosaics.

Tomorrow morning we'll move out of Antioch back towards the South-West of Turkey.

The Catholic Church in Antakya run by the Capuchin Friars (Fr Dominic is seen on the left)

St Peter's Church in Antakya. Tradition has it that this is the place for the first Cathedra of Peter.