The historical region of Syria became one of the main centers of miaphisite Christianity, embodied in the Oriental Orthodoxy, which had accepted only the first three ecumenical councils: Nicaea (325), Constantinople (381) and Ephesus (431). In addition to writings about feminine virtue by Gregory of Nyssa and Gregory of Nazianzos, later texts about Nicholas of Sion and Theodore of Sykeon described miracles and rural life. The Cappadocian Fathers produced some of the earliest hagiographies in the region. The spread of Christianity beyond Jerusalem is discussed in the Book of Acts. The Christianization of ancient Arameans and Armenians most likely began around the 1st century AD. Hagia Sophia was built in AD 537 during the reign of Justinian I, Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire it was the world's largest building and an engineering marvel of its time. Philip the Apostle lived and was buried in Hierapolis, Turkey Constantine the Great, the founder of Constantinople, was the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity. The early Christian community of Ephesus was one of the seven churches addressed in the Book of Revelation. Paul the Apostle lived in Ephesus, Asia Minor. The Roman province of Cappadocia was renowned for its cave churches. įurther information: Christianity in the 1st century and Early centers of Christianity Fresco of Christ Pantocrator on the ceiling of Karanlık Kilise (The Dark Church), Churches of Göreme. The Eastern Orthodox Church has been headquartered in Constantinople since the 4th century AD.

In 2009, there were 236 Christian churches open for worship in Turkey. Ethnically Turkish Protestants number around 7,000–8,000. There is also a small group of ethnic Orthodox-Christian Turks (mostly living in Istanbul and Izmir) who follow the Greek Orthodox, Turkish Orthodox, or Syriac Orthodox churches, and additionally Protestant Turks who still face difficulties regarding social acceptance, and also historic claims to churches or property in the country because they are former Muslim converts to Christianity from Turkish-Muslim backgrounds (rather than ethnic minorities). In 2011, there were more than 200,000-320,000 people of different Christian denominations, representing roughly 0.3-0.4 percent of Turkey's population, including an estimated 80,000 population of Oriental Orthodox Christians, 47,000 Turkish Orthodox Christians, 35,000 Roman Catholic Christians, 18,000 Antiochian Greeks, 5,000 Greek Orthodox Christians, 8,000 Protestant Christians, 4,994 Jehovah's Witnesses, and 512 Mormons. This was due to events which had a significant impact on the country's demographic structure, such as the First World War, the genocides of Greeks, Armenians, and Assyrians perpetrated by Turkish Muslims, and the population exchange between Greece and Turkey, and the emigration of Christians (such as Assyrians, Greeks, Armenians, etc.) to foreign countries (mostly in Europe and the Americas) that actually began in the late 19th century and gained pace in the first quarter of the 20th century, especially during World War I. Exact numbers are difficult to estimate as many former Muslim converts to Christianity often hide their Christian faith for fear of familial pressure, religious discrimination, and persecution. The percentage of Christians in Turkey fell mainly as a result of the late Ottoman genocides: the Armenian genocide, Greek genocide, and Assyrian genocide, the population exchange between Greece and Turkey, the emigration of Christians that began in the late 19th century and gained pace in the first quarter of the 20th century, and due to events such as the 1942 Varlık Vergisi tax levied on Non-Muslim citizens in Turkey and the 1955 Istanbul pogrom against Greek and Armenian Christians.

In modern times the percentage of Christians in Turkey has declined from 20 to 25 percent in 1914 to 3–5.5 percent in 1927, to 0.3–0.4%, roughly translating to 200,000–320,000 devotees.

1880Ĭhristianity in Turkey has a long history dating back to the early origins of Christianity in Asia Minor during the 1st century AD. Greek-Orthodox metropolises in Asia Minor, c.

Percentage of christians