CAPADOCIAN PATRISTIC FATHERS AND FAITH TOURISM

Abstract

Cappadocia is one of the regions with significant religious tourism potential in Turkey. The region has a tangible cultural heritage that bears the traces of Early Christianity, such as many churches, monasteries, hospitals, soup kitchens and educational institutions belonging to the Early Christian period. In the formation of these institutions, there are three important patristic fathers; The education, ideas, and practices of Basil, Gregory of Nyssa, and Gregory of Nazianzus were influential. One of the reasons for choosing the Cappadocia Patristic Fathers for the study is; The fact that Eastern Orthodox and Western Catholic Christian authorities are recognized as the most important of the Patristic fathers and there is a special day celebration in their name. The aim of the study; It is to investigate the views and practices of the Cappadocian Patristic Fathers in the period when Christianity spread in Anatolia, their role in the Ecumenical Councils, their contribution to Cappadocia's being an important center of belief, their education, families and lifestyles. The geographical, political, social and belief climate in which the Patristic Cappadocian Fathers lived was also taken into account in the study. For this purpose, the subject; In the conceptual framework, autobiography books, articles, written and oral sources were reserched. It is thought that the study will contribute to the multi-faceted contribution to faith touris of Cappadocia.