St. Peter's Grotto
The St. Peter's Grotto is a cave church in Turkey , near the present-day city of Antakya , ancient Antioch on the Orontes . It is the only Christian trace from antiquity that remains in Antakya.
Saint Luke is said to have founded this cave church, but it is named after Peter , who led the Christianization of Asia Minor from Antioch on the front line.
According to tradition, the first Christian congregation gathered here around Paul , Barnabas , Peter and then around the city's first bishops ( Acts 11:19 EU ):
“During the persecution that arose because of Stephen , the dispersed came as far as Phenicia , Cyprus and Antioch; yet they preached the word only to the Jews . But some of them, who came from Cyprus and Cyrene , preached the gospel of Jesus the Lord to the Greeks when they came to Antioch . The hand of the Lord was with them and many believed and turned to the Lord. The news of this came to the ears of the Jerusalem church and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was delighted and exhorted everyone to be faithful to the Lord as they had set out to do. For he was a fine man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. Thus a considerable number was gained for the Lord. Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul . He found him and took him to Antioch. There they worked together in the church for a full year and taught a large number of people. In Antioch the disciples were called Christians for the first time . In those days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. "
The crusaders who conquered Antioch in 1098 rebuilt the church, expanded it and added a facade. The decaying facade was rebuilt by Capuchin monks in 1863 . The restoration of the church was carried out by Pope Pius IX. and from Napoleon III. co-financed.
The stone altar made of masonry and an altar plate is said to have been erected in connection with a visit by the Apostle Peter to the church. The feast of the parish is celebrated in Antakya on February 21st. The marble figure of St. Peter in a round arch niche in the wall above the altar was installed there in 1932. Baptisms took place at the small spring in the church. A festival takes place here every year on June 29th.
A relief portrait is carved into the rock near the church , which some believe to be Charon , the ferryman who brought the dead to Hades . However, it is probably the image of a member of the Seleucid dynasty who founded the city.
Two other churches are still in use: a Capuchin church on Kurtuluş Caddesi and a Greek Orthodox church near the Rana Bridge.
Facade of the church with arcade structure and rose window in the central arcade.
modern atrium
Interior with portal
Altar with remains of fresco painting on the rock wall
Interior with altar
Web links
- Photographs of the grotto
- Aalen.de - The grotto of St. Peter
- Reports and photographs of the city of Antioch (English)
- SWR2 weblog (with audiocast): Petrusgrotte - place of prayer for Christians and Muslims from December 15, 2009
Coordinates: 36 ° 12 ′ 31.9 ″ N , 36 ° 10 ′ 43.5 ″ E