Building Greek Orthodox Christian Churches in Late Ottoman Cappadocia
Description
Seminar in Ottoman and Turkish Studies series
The talk explores how Greek Orthodox communities from villages in the region of Kayseri attempted to build, rebuild or repair church buildings in the late Ottoman period. The process was not as simple as raising funds or finding a financial benefactor. Building a church became a communal enterprise led by the local clergy, especially the Metropolitan of Caesarea, but also required the population to marshal significant resources to ensure its success. The challenges both clergy and lay people faced to accomplish the ambitious projects included gathering funds and materials, hiring architects and builders, as well as getting imperial permission. These challenges were met with very creative and effective strategies, and churches depended on these rather than fiat from the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Building a structure of such magnitude took great commitment from multiple stake-holders.
