Antioch

Although Jesus Christ was born in Israel,The name “Christian” is attributed to his followers not in Israel but in Antioch (Antakya),from where Christianity spread all over the world.(When he found him,he took him to Antioch,and for a whole year,the two meet with the people of the church and taugh a large group.It was at Antioch that believers were first called Christians.Act.Ap. 11-26)

Today`s ANTAKYA (Antioch) is a city in the southern part of Turkey on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.There are frequent flights from Istanbul to Adana every day in high season.The driving time from Adana airport to Antakya city center is 2 ½ hours (115 miles)

Tradition has it that Peter was the first to establish a church in Antioch ; this belief is based on the references in Acts 9:32 and in Galatians 2:11.When Barnabas was sent shortly thereafter by the Jerusalem church to Antioch,he encountered an enthusiastic community.Needing a helper,he went up to Tarsus to get Paul to join him.Together they worked in Antioch for some time before they started off on their first missionary journey.It was to identify this large group as distinct from the rest of the Jewish congregation that they were given the name “Christian” .Antioch served as the home base for Peter,Paul and Barnabas ; Shortly it became the third most important bishopric (after Jerusalem and Rome) in the developing church.

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