Day 05 - West Central Turkey: Aphrodisias, Philadelphia

Another beautiful morning in Turkey.
On our way to Aphrodisias, our guide Ozan taught us a few more words in Turkish: Merhaba — Hello, Evet — Yes, Hayır — No.

Discovering Aphrodisias:
In 1958, Turkish-Armenian photographer Ara Güler, lost on his way back from a photo assignment, stumbled across a village built among ancient ruins. Corinthian columns were used as coffee tables, sarcophagi served as water troughs for animals, and his now-famous photo of two old men with canes and hats sitting on a carved marble bench captured the hidden beauty of Aphrodisias.

His images, later published in a New York architecture magazine, inspired Kenan Erim, a Turkish archaeologist living in New York, to begin excavations in 1962. After a devastating earthquake in the 1970s forced the village to relocate, the ancient city was uncovered more fully.

The Tetrapylon, a monumental gateway built in the 2nd century AD leading to the Temple of Aphrodite, became a symbol of the site. Erim devoted his life to Aphrodisias, and though he passed away before the Tetrapylon’s full restoration, he is uniquely buried on site as an exceptional honor in Turkey.

In Aphrodisias we visited:
Sebasteion · Palm Park & Pool · Theater · Basilica & Edict of Diocletian · Roman Baths · Bouleuterion · Temple of Aphrodite · Tetrapylon · Stadium

Standing in the stadium, Pastor Jesse reminded us that Paul often used sports imagery because games and athletics were so important in ancient cities. Just as athletes trained for a crown that fades, we run for an eternal reward. The Christian life, he said, is a race requiring perseverance and discipline. Scripture came alive in that place:
Hebrews 12:1–3 — Run with endurance, fixing eyes on Jesus.
1 Corinthians 9:24–27 — Run to win the prize, emphasizing strict training and the pursuit of an imperishable crown.
2 Timothy 4:7 — Paul’s final letter: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
No one becomes Christlike or grows in faith by accident. Just as unused muscles weaken, faith also diminishes without consistent practice. Scripture, prayer, and community are the “training” that prepares us, just like the athletes who once competed in this very stadium.

For lunch we stopped at an old stone building covered in grapevines. The older gentleman greeted us with music on a Turkish string instrument, accompanied by his parrot that hopped and danced in rhythm. We enjoyed a delicious Turkish meal.

On the bus to Sardis, as we passed by Philadelphia (modern city name Alasehir), Pastor Jesse turned to Revelation 3:7–13, the letter to the church in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia is one of only two churches (of seven) that receives unqualified praise from Jesus. The church trusted the Lord despite having little strength, relying on God to go ahead of them. They kept, honored, and obeyed the Word of God. They endured patiently, trusted God’s promises, and finished well.

- Natalya Makhnovsky