John the apostle was one of 12 disciplines of Jesus. Sometimes known as John the Evangelist, he wrote several books of the New Testament including Revelations that referred to several churches of Asia Minor.
Many Christian and religious experts state John was the disciple whom Jesus loved and indeed when it came time for the Virgin Mary to ascend, john spent time with her in the ancient city of Ephesus, before proceeding to the hills where she could spend her last days in peace.
Within the Book of Revelations was a unique message for each church, containing praise, criticism, action needed and challenges to overcome.
It is important to know the scripts do not refer to physical buildings of churches but instead a collective group of people living within a certain area.
What Were the Seven Churches of Revelation?
1. Ephesus: Revelation 2:1-7
2. Smyrna: Revelation 2:8-11
3. Pergamum: Revelation 2:12-17
4. Thyatira: Revelation 2:18-29
5. Sardis: Revelation 3:1-6
6. Philadelphia: Revelation 3:7-13
7. Laodicea: Revelation 3:14-22
Do any of the Seven Churches of Revelation still exist today?
As mentioned before, the churches did not refer to a structural building. They were all cities or town in the Roman province of Asia that is today the western coast of Turkey.
Kemal Sendikici, a certified private guide reports that in recent years, interest in Seven Churches of Revelation tours has increased. It seems more and more Christians from the western world are making pilgrimages to the western coast of Turkey because along with the seven churches, they want to visit other historical and religious sites including the house of the *Virgin Mary, Saint John’s basilica and the Cave of the Seven Sleepers.
Kemal points out that 3 of the churches are extremely prominent, even now and a delight to visit for anyone considering a pilgrimage
In terms of structural ruins, the largest and best excavated is Ephesus. Visitors tour 60% of the ancient city including Roman terraced houses, the Celsus library and large Hellenistic theatre used for political gatherings and under Roman rule also as a gladiator’s courtyard. The church of Ephesus was highly praised in the Book of Revelations for their hard work and good deeds, but criticised for leaving their first love of the gospel.
The ruins of Pergamon have also been extensively excavated and in 2014, gained acceptance to the UNESCO World Heritage site list. Pergamon, throughout history, and even now has been called the playground of Satan. The Book of Revelations praises citizens for living where Satan lives but never renouncing God. Unfortunately, they needed to renounce the words of doctrines who led Christians to believe their false actions were right.
Lastly, the church of Smyrna refers to current day Izmir that is now the third largest city in Turkey. They were only praised and not criticised but warned of non-believers who would hurt rape or even kill them because of their beliefs. It urged them to carry on spreading the word.
Also Worth a Visit
Although small, the church of Sardis, now in the Manisa province of Turkey includes excavated buildings of a gymnasium, Byzantine shops and a synagogue. Known as the church that was “dead” and urged to remember their beginnings and repent, they were at the time highly respected for their military strength.
*The House of the Virgin Mary is in Selcuk, Turkey and is funded by the Catholic Church. They have never verified that the house is indeed where she spent her last days before ascending but the house monthly receives thousands of visitors, both Christians and Muslims who want to make the pilgrimage.
Natalie Sayin is a freelance writer specializing in culture, traditions and travel of Turkey. For this article credit also goes to Kemal Sendikici for his information on the Seven Churches of Revelation. View more of his work on his site Ephesus Walks