NEVSEHIR - Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew expressed hope about opening of Heybeliada seminary on Wednesday.
Bartholomew, who visited Karanlik, Yilanli, Elmali and Tokali churches in Goreme Open Air Museum, told reporters that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan brought the issue onto agenda during his visit to Greek capital Athens.
Turkish National Education Minister Huseyin Celik promised to launch initiatives to open the seminary during his visit to the Patriarchate, Bartholomew said.
Bartholomew added that therefore, they expected the seminary to be opened.
Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew and Romanian Patriarch Teoctist came to Cappadocia region, where the spring mass will take place, the same day.
Urgup, 20 kilometers east of Nevsehir, is a lively tourist center and has all the characteristics of the region. Besides this, it is the center of a wine producing region and every year in October an International Wine Festival is held. In Urgup you can see how people once lived in houses carved into the rock, along the narrow streets. This is a good place for buying carpets and kilims. Pancarlik Valley, the Mustafapasa (Sinassos) and Cemil villages, with their traditional stone houses, the Taskinpasa and Sahinefendi villages where 12th century Kirksehitler Church is located, Devrent and Catalkaya Valleys are famous for their fairy chimneys, and are the places not to be missed.
Goreme Open Air Museum, 8 kilometers northwest of Urgup, is an monastic complex of rock churches, and chapels decorated with frescoes. The churches, of Elmali, St. Basil, St. Barbara, Yilanli, Karanlik, Carikli, and Tokali, are of particular interest and their frescoes are very well preserved.
Cappadocia region shows a spectacular and surprisingly different landscape with its wind and water eroded volcanic tuff based soil. There are thousands of natural, pyramid shaped rock formations and cave-like settlement places carved by humans since the early ages throughout the region.
(BRC) 19.05.2004