How many years was the Sumela Monastery built? What is the Legend? Who did it?

Sumela Monastery (Greek: Panagia Sumela or Theotokos Sumela) is located on the western slopes of the Virgin Mary Stream (Ancient Greek name: Panagia) located on the western slopes of the Virgin Mary Stream (Ancient Greek name: Panagia), located within the borders of the Altındere valley in the Trabzon province of Trabzon. It is a Greek Orthodox monastery and church complex located at an altitude of 1.150 m above sea level.

History

It is believed that the church was built between 365-395 AD. It was built in the style of Cappadocian churches, which are common in Anatolia; there is even a similar cave church at Maşatlık in Trabzon. Not much is known about the millennium between the first establishment of the church and its transformation into a monastery. According to a legend told between the Black Sea Greeks, Barnabas from Athens and two monks named Sophronios had the same dream; In their dreams, they saw the place of Sumela as the place where the icon of Mary holding the baby Jesus in her arms, from three Panagia icons made by one of Jesus' students, St. Luka. Upon this, they came to Trabzon by sea, unaware of each other, told the dreams they had met there and laid the foundation of the first church. In addition to this, Trabzon Emperor III. It is believed that Alexios (1349-1390) was the true founder of the monastery.

In the defense of the city, which was exposed to Turkmen raids in the 14th century, there was no change in the status of the monastery, which took the role of an outpost, after the Ottoman conquest. It is known that Yavuz Sultan Selim gave two big candlesticks as gifts during his princely in Trabzon. Fatih Sultan Mehmed, II. Murat, I. Selim, II. Selim, III. Murad, İbrahim, IV. Mehmed, II. Solomon and III. Ahmed also has edicts about the monastery. Concessions provided to the monastery during the Ottoman period created an area surrounded by Christian and hidden Christian villages, especially in Maçka and northern Gümüşhane, during the Islamization of Trabzon and Gümüşhane region.

During the Russian occupation from April 18, 1916 to February 24, 1918, it became the headquarters of Greek militias who wanted to establish an independent Pontus state like other monasteries around Maçka, and lost its importance after the population exchange and the sending of the Christians in the region to Greece, and zamit was left to its fate until it was repaired at the time.

Greeks from the Black Sea, who migrated to Greece by exchange, built a new church called Vümela in the city of Veria. Every year in August, they organize festivities with wide participation around the new monastery, just like they did in Trabzon Sümela in the past.

With the permission of the government in the Republic of Turkey in 2010. Christians, the Virgin Mary, who is considered as the day of Ascension and the sacred 15th of August after 88 years together for the first liturgy organized, led liturgy Istanbul Orthodox Patriarchate Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople.

frescos

The interior of the church is covered with frescoes:

• The figures of Virgin Mary in the church are depicted as Georgian madonna used by Georgians.
• The birth of Mary and her presentation in the temple, the preaching, the birth of Christ, her presentation and life in the temple, on the south wall above the apse of the main church, the pictures from the Bible below.
• The death of Mary and the apostles at the south gate.
• In the upper part of the church facing east, 2nd row Genesis, the creation of Adam, the creation of Eve, the admonition of God, Rebellion (Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit), expulsion from Paradise. 3rd place: Resurrection, suspicion of Thomas, an angel in the grave, Nikaia (Iznik) council.
• Outside of the apse, above is Michael, Gabriel  

Is Sumela Monastery Open?

The first phase of the restoration work at the Sümela Monastery was completed on May 29, 2019.With the second phase completed on July 28, 2020, 65 percent of the total of the restoration of the Sümela Monastery and the precautionary measures taken especially regarding stone falling measures were completed. The remaining 35 percent are areas that have never been opened to visitors before, and work continues there without slowing down. Until 1 July 2021, the last remaining part, namely the areas that have never been opened to visitors before, will be completed quickly and opened to visitors in less than a year. "

The restoration of the Sumela Monastery, the first phase of which was completed, was opened to citizens.