Aya yorgi church was built in 1751, according to information from the patriarchate documents. the original church is a tiny, two-story structure featuring a chapel, a little church, and a place for quiet reflection. on the contrary, the brand-new structure on the hill, the aya yorgi church, was constructed in face stone in 1905 and inaugurated in 1909.

A Brief History of Aya Yorgi Church

According to the information on the Patriarchate records, Aya Yorgi Church was constructed in 1751. The small two-story building covered with tiles is known as the old church and has a small church, chapel and a prayer place. Aya Yorgi Church, on the other hand, is the new building on the hill that was built of face stone in 1905 and opened for use in 1909.

The church got its name from Aya Yorgos (Saint George), who started being referred to as Aya Yorgi by the Greeks over time. He was a soldier in Cappadocia that lived in the third century. He is one of the most known and loved saints and martyrs in Christianity. According to the legend, the people in the city were troubled by a murderous dragon. They gave the dragon sheep, but the dragon wasn’t satisfied. They started choosing people from the city randomly to be sacrificed to the dragon. One time, the king’s daughter was chosen. Despite the king’s offerings, no one accepted to take his daughter’s place. As she was about to be eaten by the dragon, Saint George arrived and gravely wounded the dragon. He put a girdle around the dragon’s head and led it back to the city. The king and the townspeople were amazed. He offered to kill the dragon if they all became Christians. More than 15,000 people and the king became Christians, and Saint George killed the dragon.

Every year on April 23 and September 24, huge crowds of Christians come to Aya Yorgi Church. It is accepted as one of the two pilgrimage points of Christians, besides the House of the Virgin Mary in Ephesus.

But why the 23 April and 24 September dates? In the Orthodox sect, April 23 is the St. George’s day. September 24 is the commemoration day of Aya Thekla, who devoted herself to the new religion of Jesus’ apostle Paulus.

Those who come to Aya Yorgi Church come to pray and make a wish. They take off their shoes at the start of the road that leads to the church, grab a bell and never speak during the entire road. It is also believed that the wishes of those who tie ropes to the bu...

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