Aya Tekla Church
Cave church of Aya Tekla in Silifke, Turkey | |
  Shown within Turkey | |
| Alternative name | Meryemlik |
|---|---|
| Location | Mersin Province, Turkey |
| Coordinates | 36°21′46″N 33°55′51″E / 36.36278°N 33.93083°E |
| Type | Church |
Aya Tekla Church (
Location
Aya Tekla Church is located 4 km (2.5 mi) south of Silifke (ancient Seleucia in Isauria or Seleucia on the Calycadnus) and 85 km (53 mi) from the provincial capital, Mersin. It is situated 1 km (0.62 mi) north of the state highway D.400, which runs parallel to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.[1]
History
The beginnings of the site are unclear. A site of Thecla's cult near Silifke was visited by
Up to 312, Thecla's cave was a secret pilgrimage site.[clarification needed] At some date, a church was built into the cave. Aya Thekla, the more prominent church, was built on the hilltop in 460–470 by the Byzantine emperor Zeno the Isaurian (reigned 474–475).[4] The church and other related buildings, such as a bath, are now in ruins, the only standing element being a part of the apse.[2] The cave and cistern to the north of the cave are also partially standing.
References
- ^ Silifke governor's page (in Turkish) Archived October 3, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c Hagia Thekla Archived 2019-01-10 at the Wayback Machine in Monastic Matrix, Ohio State University
- ^ M. L. McClure, ed. (1919). The Pilgrimage of Egeria. Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. pp. 42–43.
- ISBN 978-0-8028-9016-0.)
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Further reading
- Stephen J. Davis (2008). The Cult of Saint Thecla: A Tradition of Women's Piety in Late Antiquity (Oxford Early Christian Studies). ISBN 9780191568350
External links
