christianwomanturkey.blogspot.com – Page 3

20th July 20182nd November 2019

20 July – St Margaret (or Marina) of Antioch in Pisidia (Yalvaç)

On 20 July the church celebrates the life of St Margaret of Antioch. She is also known as St Marina. She lived in Antioch in Pisidia which is now near the town of Yalvaç in the province of Isparta. St Margaret was probably martyred in the year 270.

She lived during the reign of Diocletian, the Roman Emperor. During the trials and tribulations she experienced she was apparently swallowed by a dragon whose stomach opened and she was able to escape unharmed. Her story is now regarded as fictitious, however she had a strong following in the Middle Ages. Her voice was among those attested to have been heard by St Joan of Arc. A representation of St Margaret is shown to the left. Her designation as Patron saint of expectant mothers (especially those in difficult labour) comes from her experience of breaking free from the stomach of the dragon who swallowed her. Copyright©2019 Rev Ros Wilkinson

20th July 20189th October 2018

19th July – St Macrina, Cappadocia

On 19 July each year the Anglican Church celebrates the life of Macrina, who was the sister of Gregory of Nyssa. Macrina was the eldest child, two of her brothers, Gregory of Nyssa and Basil the Great are two of the Cappadocian Fathers. She was a great influence on them. They lived in Cappadocia, in central Turkey. Another Gregory (of Nazianzus) is the other Cappadocian Father.

Macrina was probably born in 327AD into a long-established and wealthy Cappadocian family whose faith in Christ had been tried and tested during Diocletian’s persecutions in 303-4. Her father died when she was about 12 years old. She seems, according to her brother Gregory‘s ‘Life of Macrina’, to have taken responsibility for running the family estate and eventually set up a monastic settlement for women. She was noted for taking on menial, ordinary jobs such as preparing bread for the household. She exercised a strong spiritual influence on her brothers as well. Persuading Basil to be a priest rather than become a rhetorician. At a young age she committed to remaining a virgin and remaining unmarried. She was also given the name Thekla, after a Christian woman from Iconium (modern day Konya) who was a convert through the Apostle Paul’s preaching. Thekla was a martyr who braved much in her commitment to Christ. More about her in the weeks to come!
Collect about St Macrina

Lord of eternity, creator of all things,

in your Son Jesus Christ you open for us the way to resurrectionthat we may enjoy your bountiful goodness:may we who celebrate your servants Gregory and Macrina
press onwards in faith to your boundless loveand ever wonder at the miracle of your presence among us;through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,who is alive and reigns with you,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, now and for ever. Amen.

20th July 20189th October 2018

The Church Calendar

The Church has a calender when it commemorates not only the main Christian festivals such as Christmas and Easter but also the lives of key historical figures who have made a contribution to the life of the church. For instance the gospel writers Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are celebrated on different days during the year.

I will post mini-biographies, snapshots, of the women who will be the focus of my book about Christian women who have lived in modern day Turkey.

As I have thought about this book I have been very conscious that “… we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, …and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.”
(NRSV Hebrews 12:1-2)

I believe in the communion of saints, that those that have lived as Christians and entered into eternal rest are surrounding us as suggested by the verses from the New Testament Letter to the Hebrews. Those Christians from the past are watching us, cheering us on. I take courage from this as I step out into unchartered waters in attempting to write a book!