During one of his missionary journeys St. Paul visited Ephesus in Turkey.
He stays in the city about three years (Acts 19:1-20). In Ephesus Paul discovers twelve believers who were baptized but who did'nt as yet have God's spirit. Paul baptizes them in His name and they receive God's Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-7).
In looking at the letters to the 7 Churches, we see the Lord speaking directly to the 7 Churches
that existed in the Holy land at the time John lived. We also see the Lord's opinion of those Churches, and what they were doing at the time: Ephesus, Pergamon, Laodicea, Sardis, Thyatira, Smyrna, Philadelphia churches.
Turkey is called the Other Holy Land as it has more biblical sites than any other country in the Middle East. Antioch - the place where the followers of Jesus were first called Christians; Tarsus - where Apostle Paul was born and many others..
Biblical Persons Asia Minor Here you can find information about important biblical personalities
in Asia Minor, who either were born, or lived in Asia Minor, and
whose names and deeds are very significant for Christian History.
Constantine the Great Constantine the Great or Saint
Constantine , was Roman emperor from 306, and the sole holder of that
office from 324 until his death in 337. Best known for being the first
Christian Roman emperor. St. Barbara Saint Barbara, known
in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Great Martyr Barbara (3rd century
- December 4, 306), was a Christian saint and martyr. St. Barnabas
Joseph, surnamed Barnabas "son of encouragement" by the Apostles, was a
Levite from Cyprus. he was a companion of St. John in many of his
missionary journeys. St. Basil St. Basil was the "Father"
of monasticism. He founded monasteries and, above all, he wrote The Rule
of monastic life still in use in Orthodox monasteries. St. Blaise St. Blaise is one of the last victims of the Roman persecution
against Christians under Licinius. St. Ephraem St. Ephraem
defended in his writings and sermons the catholic faith against some
errors propagated by heretics. His hymns are still sung in the liturgy
by the Syrian churches. Saint Gregory the Illuminator Gregory is said to be son of Anak, a Parthian prince of Persian
origin. Kusev killed Anak and all his family, whom he feared as
possible contender to the throne. The little Gregory was saved from the
massacre by a Christian lady who adopted him as a son and brought him up
as a Christian in Caesarea. He became a monk and dedicated his life to
spread the Gospel. Saint Gregory Nazianzen Saint Gregory followed the monastic way of life. In 379 he was
chosen Patriarch of Constantinople at the height of the Arian
controversy, where he stayed only for two years handing in his
resignation during the First Constantinopolitan Council and retired
in Nazianzus where he died. Saint Gregory of Nyssa Brother of Basil the Great, like him he lead a monastic life until
he was elected Bishop of Nyssa. During the Council of Constantinople
he revealed his philosophic acumen and was acclaimed as one of the
greatest exponents of Christian. St. Helen In the year 326, already over 80, Helen set out as a pilgrim to the
Holy Land, where, after praying on the places where Jesus was born,
died and was buried, she ordered that excavations be started on the
Golgotha, the cross on which Christ died was found. She had churches
built in Bethlehem, on the Mount of The Olives, from where the risen
Lord ascended into heaven, and the Anastasis basilica enshrining the
grave where the lifeless body of Christ was laid after the crucifixion. St. Jacob He was born in Nisibis, southeast of Mardin and for some years led a
monastic life. He was bishop of the city for twenty years, from 309
approximately to 338, the year of his death.