The Early Christians

"The Antioch Orthodox Church enjoys the greatest prestige in the history of Christendom since it is the first Church which was established in Jerusalem out of the Apostles, Preachers and other converted Jews, and was grafted in Antioch by those who were converted from among the Arameans and other gentile elements. It can justifiably claim the wealthiest liturgical and musical heritage, besides a proud theological and missionary record. It suffered untold hardships and tragedies including massacres and repeated transfer of the See of the Patriarchate from one locality to another due to political and other developments. Historians declare that the survival of this Church was nothing short of a miracle.

The history of the church declares Antioch as the mother of the gentile churches and the headquarters of Christianity in Asia. History also considers St. Peter, the chief of the Apostles, as the founder of its Apostolic See and its first Patriarch. He himself ordained St. Evodius and St. Ignatius who was mentioned earlier. After his martyrdom he was succeeded by St. Evodius and St. Ignatius respectively. Likewise, St. Peter was succeeded by a line of distinguished Patriarchs, most of whom amazed the world with their sanctity, wonderful writings and other accomplishments in many fields. By the Grace of God, we are the 121st in their legitimate line. The jurisdiction of the Holy See of Antioch extended to the Far East. In other words, it covered all Asia. It ruled during its golden age over 12 metropolitans and 137 suffragan bishops.

Antioch on the Orontes was the administrative capital of the Roman province of Syria. Its name comes from Antiochus, a Syrian King and stood near the mouth of the river Orontes, 15 miles from the Mediterranean. It was called "on the Orontes" to distinguish it from 15 other Antiochs. Seleucia was the seaport there and was Paul's sailing port for missionary journeys. It has suffered repeatedly from earthquakes. Antioch was the third city of the empire with a population of about half million, only Rome and Alexandria would surpass her in numbers. Strategically situated on the East and West routes of commerce, Antioch became a magnificent city, rich and luxurious, lovely and cosmopolitan. Its main street was four miles in length and lined with majestic mansions. Antioch was the city preferred by Vespasian and Titus and was celebrated for its chariot races.

Luxury and the vices associated with the wanton pursuit of pleasure and idleness had made the city vile and immoral, corrupt and idolatrous. It was the center of Greek culture but its social life was debased, sensual, and shocking. The temple of Daphne stood among laurel trees just five miles outside the city and included immoral worship in the name of religion.

Jews and later the Christians were welcome at Antioch and became a place of great resort. Seleucus Nicator held out invitations and encouragement for everyone. Antioch was predominately Gentile but the Jews formed a large portion of the population, they were exceptionally active in proselytizing and had a large following among the Greeks. The persecuted Christians fled here after the death of Stephen and a strong Gentile church was being formed even before the Jerusalem council.

This new church had come together in numbers, unified to each other and devoted to God. Because of this unity and devotion, the church at Antioch early became the most prominent one in Asia. Those of "the way" had first been called Christians here. The term was originally used as a derogatory reference to the "devotees of the Anointed One", in the Greek Christianoi but the movement soon adopted it.

It was here at Antioch that a new thing happened, the Lord Jesus was preached to the Greeks also. The news was so great that the Jerusalem church sent Barnabus among them and Paul was to follow a year later, about AD 44. The spirit of this oneness set Paul and Barnabus aside for a new mission to the Gentile world to extend this new unity that had been created in Antioch. God needed a new center from which to send out the new missionary movement and a new mother church was formed. Antioch now became the first great Christian missionary center and was gradually to succeed Jerusalem as the center of Christian activity. Paul and Barnabus stayed another year instructing new disciples and for the first time in the history of the world, a joint Jewish-Gentile community was formed, its members living and sharing side by side and praying together in the spirit of Jesus. Antioch was the center from which Christianity spread.

Antioch, known as Antakya today, is located near the Iskenderun Bay in the southern-most part of Turkey. This ancient city has an important place in Christian history. After the stoning of Stephen in Jerusalem (Acts 7) in 33 A.D. many of Jesus' followrs went to Antioch. Nicholas of Antioch, a recent convert to Judaism and then to Christianity, became one of "seven men of good reputation" (Acts 6:3-5) and took charge of the communal body of believers. In 40 A.D., with so many new followers, group needed a name to distinguish itself from the others and adopted the name "Christian" for the first time in history. Seleucus Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, was given the control of the city, gave his father's name Antiochus, to the city in 301 B.C. Dring the time of Paul and Barnabas, there was a large Greek speaking Jewish community in Antioch. The Christian community of Antioch was not as conservative as the one in Jerusalem. That is why Christianity was spread out to the world from Antioch rather than Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas struggled to wellcome everyone into Christianity not only the Jews (Acts 15:1). Paul started his missionary journeys from Antioch. Crusaders discovered a grotto to the east of the city, known as St.Peter's Grotto. There are some other hidden churches and buildings found from the same era, believed to be used by early Christians for secret meetings. Antioch became host to ten assemblies of the church between 252 and 300 A.D. The Patriarch of Asia, St.Jerome settled in the city. St.Simeon Stylites lived in the area until his death in 459 A.D. and he was buried in Antioch.