Annaba, Algeria The shrines of Augustine of Hippo, one of the greatest theologians in the history of the Church, are the most revered Christian sites in North Africa. The city of Annaba in Algeria, formerly the Roman metropolis of Hippo Regus, is home to two holy places closely associated with the saint: the Basilica of Peace, where Augustine once served as the city’s … [Read more...]
LATERAN COMPLEX
Rome, Italy When most people think of the Papacy and the Church in Rome, first thoughts usually go to Vatican Hill which is now home to St. Peter’s Basilica and the vast complex of buildings, churches and palaces which make up Vatican City. But for the better part of 1,300 years it was not the Vatican Hill on Rome’s west side that was synonymous with the Church, but rather … [Read more...]
HAGIA SOFIA OF ISTANBUL
Istanbul, Turkey Of the original five great patriarchates of Christianity, that of Byzantium was the last to form and, for many years, was the least important. This situation changed dramatically in the 4th century when Constantine not only legalized Christianity but also moved the capital of the Roman Empire to Byzantium. Almost overnight Byzantium became the most … [Read more...]
ECHMIATSEN CATHEDRAL
Echmiatsen, Armenia The small nation of Armenia, wedged between the Slavic nations to the north and Turkey and Iran to the south, has the honor of being the world’s oldest Christian state, with a population that has somehow managed to remain largely outside of the Muslim sphere for the better part of fourteen centuries. The Bishopric of Armenia was the first major Christian … [Read more...]
ST. CATHERINE’S MONASTERY
Feran, Egypt St. Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt is one of Christianity’s greatest ancient treasures. Officially known as The Sacred and Imperial Monastery of the God-Trodden Mount of Sinai, it is home to one of the oldest Christian churches still in use: the Chapel of the Burning Bush. It is also home to one of Christianity’s most venerable library … [Read more...]
BASILICA OF ST. SIMEON STYLITES
Aleppo, Syria After Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, die-hard Christians began to seek increasingly extreme ways to outdo each other in their public displays of humility towards God. At first they expressed themselves by founding or entering monasteries, or seeking seclusion as hermits. But as the 5th century dawned, more and more devotees … [Read more...]
MONASTARIES OF ST. ANTHONY AND ST. PAUL
Zafarana, Egypt When the pious Anthony arrived on the shores of the Gulf of Suez in the 4th century in his quest for solitude and a more Godly life, little did he know that he would be initiating what would become one of Christianity’s favorite pastimes: monasticism. A small, and by some accounts completely unwanted, following of the famous hermit later emulated his example … [Read more...]
COPTIC ORTHODOX PATRIARCHATE
Alexandria, Egypt For almost two thousand years, Alexandria has been home to one of Christianity’s five great Patriarchal seats. It was once considered, and still is by the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Papal See of Africa, and according to tradition the Patriarch is still technically the senior bishop of that continent. However, that tradition is obscured by the fact that … [Read more...]
HAGIA SOFIA OF NICAEA
Iznik, Turkey From the time of the Pentecost until the time of Constantine, Christianity existed primarily as a vast collection of largely independent communities loosely organized into bishoprics with no central authority or governing guidelines other than five arguing Patriarchs and the not-yet canonized New Testament. Organization, beliefs and practices were informal and … [Read more...]
CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS OF MYRA
Demre, Turkey Nicholas of Myra is quite possibly the most beloved post 1st century Christian figure. For the last seventeen centuries there have been dual traditions concerning the enormously popular Nicholas. The first is that of the great Christian theologian whose presence dominated the First Council of Nicaea and whose influence laid much of the groundwork for the … [Read more...]
