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WANGNEWS SERVICE

An Independent Source of News & Views

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"The Holy
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A N T I O C H A T P I S I D I A

"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another gospel,
but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary
to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed! As we have said before, so now I repeat, if anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received,
let that one be accursed! Am I now seeking human approval, or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a
servant of Christ." Galatians 1: 6-11.

There are over a dozen cities in the ancient Mediterranean world bearing the name of Antioch. Two stand prominent in Christianity - Antioch on the Orontes in Syria and Antioch
of Pisidia in Turkey. Both are associated with St. Paul.    Like its Syrian counterpart, Pisidian Antioch was founded by Seleucus I (Nicator), one of Alexander's great generals, and
son of Antiochos.   Augustus Caesar in 6 BCE converted it to a Roman city and capital of the Galatia Region. The garrison there was charged with pacifying the tribes around the
Taurus Mountains (See, e.g. 2 Corinthians 11:26).   Situated on the important Via Sebaste trade route, Antioch thrived with a mixed population of Romans, Greeks, and older
Phrygian peoples. During the time of Paul ("but they passed on from Perge and came to Antioch of Pisidia," Acts 13:14), there was also a prosperous Jewish community whose
presence can be traced to Antiochus the Great (223-178 BCE) (see, e,g, Josephus, Ant., XII, iii, 3 et seq.), and whose attention was sought by Paul, himself a Jew, through a formal
address (see, e.g. Acts 13:45, 50; 14:20 et seq). Acts 13:14-52 gives a detailed account of St. Paul at Antioch.   After the desultory first visit, Paul wrote a wrathful letter to the
Galatians (complete with colorful curses) which has been canonized in the Christian Bible; even so, he may have made a number of return visits to this Antioch (implied in Acts
13:49, 14:20, 16:4-6 and 18:23).

"I am confident about you in the Lord that you will not think otherwise. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty. But my friends, why am I still being
persecuted if I am still preaching circumcision? In that case the offence of the cross has been removed. I wish those who unsettle you would castrate themselves! "
Galatians 5:10-12.

On Friday, May 4, 2012, the pilgrims of the St. George's College of Jerusalem's course "St. Paul and the Early Church in Turkey" visited Antioch of Pisidia. There we
viewed the Temple of Augustus and the Church of St. Paul, amongst other ancient buildings. The following three thumbnails show the Temple of Augustus and the large
photo below the thumbnails shows the ruins the Church (Great Basilica) of St. Paul (an impressive rainstorm developed at that time and deluged the area with water):

That afternoon, we visited the Yalvaç Museum. There, we were in turn visited and cheered up by friendly Turkish school children who were getting out of class - they were
more interested in us - and practicing their English with us - than the priceless artifacts on display in their museum (which they must have examined many times before).

V Antioch of Pisidia
V

BEFORE A FURIOUS STORM

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