www.anadolukatolikkilisesi.org/antakya is the address of the new internet site (in Italian, English and Turkish) of the mission of the Catholic Church in Antioch. The initiative is that of Father Domenico Bertogli, of the Capuchin Order, parish priest of the church of Saints Peter and Paul. Its aim is to recount the history and activities of the local Christian community composed of some ten families plus a larger group of Arabic-speaking Greek-Orthodox faithful. The home page is dominated by a long description of Antioch, once the capital of the Roman province of Syria, the third most important city of the Roman Empire after Rome and Alexandria, with a population of almost half a million inhabitants. Antioch was also the cradle of the first Christian communities whose life is described in the Acts of the Apostles. It was just here that the disciples of Jesus were for the first time called “Christians”. Other pages of the website describe the church and the activities of the community and provide information on the accommodation available in the adjacent hostel with 9 rooms with 18 beds, a big kitchen and a lounge. The Christian community is very much involved in the ecumenical field and, as Father Bertogli explains, “here in Antioch Easter is celebrated on the same day as the Orthodox Easter and has been ever since 1988. Caritas also opened an office in this city in 1992. The Lenten campaign of sharing is run together with the Orthodox Church; it’s an intensive period when our vocation to unity and charity is put to the test”. A monthly news review on the website reports on all the activities of the community. Another page is devoted to the life and work of the Capuchin Basil from Novara (who died in 1851), “modern founder of the Catholic Church in Antioch”, assassinated by Islamic extremists with a hatred of Christianity. There are various links, including one with the association of Father Andrea Santoro, “Window on the Middle East”. The next major appointment in the life of the community will be the feast of Saints Peter and Paul on 29 June, particularly important in Antioch. is the address of the new internet site (in Italian, English and Turkish) of the mission of the Catholic Church in Antioch. The initiative is that of Father Domenico Bertogli, of the Capuchin Order, parish priest of the church of Saints Peter and Paul. Its aim is to recount the history and activities of the local Christian community composed of some ten families plus a larger group of Arabic-speaking Greek-Orthodox faithful. The home page is dominated by a long description of Antioch, once the capital of the Roman province of Syria, the third most important city of the Roman Empire after Rome and Alexandria, with a population of almost half a million inhabitants. Antioch was also the cradle of the first Christian communities whose life is described in the Acts of the Apostles. It was just here that the disciples of Jesus were for the first time called “Christians”. Other pages of the website describe the church and the activities of the community and provide information on the accommodation available in the adjacent hostel with 9 rooms with 18 beds, a big kitchen and a lounge. The Christian community is very much involved in the ecumenical field and, as Father Bertogli explains, “here in Antioch Easter is celebrated on the same day as the Orthodox Easter and has been ever since 1988. Caritas also opened an office in this city in 1992. The Lenten campaign of sharing is run together with the Orthodox Church; it’s an intensive period when our vocation to unity and charity is put to the test”. A monthly news review on the website reports on all the activities of the community. Another page is devoted to the life and work of the Capuchin Basil from Novara (who died in 1851), “modern founder of the Catholic Church in Antioch”, assassinated by Islamic extremists with a hatred of Christianity. There are various links, including one with the association of Father Andrea Santoro, “Window on the Middle East”. The next major appointment in the life of the community will be the feast of Saints Peter and Paul on 29 June, particularly important in Antioch.
