The seven cities in Anatolia that have a very special place in Christianity are Ephesus, Sardes, Smyrna, Philadelphia, Thyateria, Pergamum and Leodicea. These were the cities that witnessed the formation of the first Christian communities as it was stated in the Bible and canonical letters.

   The term Apostolic Churches is used to refer to these cities early structural formation. The development in Christian teaching starts with the appearance of the Holy Ghost to the Apostles, the writing of the New Testament. The last book in the New Testament mentions the revelation of St. John. The main subject of the Revelation book is the end of the world. It tells the stories about the messages sent by Christ to the Seven Churches as the Apocalypse approaches. The Seven Churches are located in the western part of Anatolia. The book of Revelation is also known as the Apocalypse of St. John. In the book there are symbolical images like the seven branched candlesticks of the Jewish which represent the Seven Churches. The Seven Churches are listed below in the order of importance:

Izmir (Smyrna) Revelation 2:8-11
Efes (Ephesus) Revelation 1:11, 2:1-7, Acts 18:19-28, 19:1-41, Ephesians
Eskihisar (Laodicea) Revelation 3:12-22, Clossians 2:1, 4:13-16
Alasehir (Philadelphia) Revelation 3:7-13
Sart (Sardis) Revelation 3:1-6
Akhisar (Thyatira) Revelation 2:18-29, Acts 16:14
Bergama (Pergamum) Revelation 2:12-17

   The word church in Seven Churches is not used to define a building but a community of Christians. During the time, when the Christianity was newly spread it was under the threaten of Jews and pagans. Therefore the Christians were forced to worship in the mountains, graveyards and catacombs. When the King Domitian commanded to have the Christians tortured and killed the Book of Revelations was written.

   The number seven has an importance in many cultures and religions like seven heavens, the seven days of the week, the story of the Seven Sleepers, the combination of squares and triangles in the Pyramids and the seven branched candlestick.

   Seven Churches are all in Asia Minor because during the time Rome and around was reacting to the Christians and Christianity, economic factors were more important in Jerusalem. Asia Minor was safer although it was the part of the Roman Empire. The area was safe because it was away from the two area. Apart from that this area had been home to many various civilizations, ethnic groups, cultures and beliefs. It was apparent that it would be easier to spread the new religion in Asia Minor.

Sardis

   Each church symbolizes the time which we can identify with the church's characteristics. As it was mentioned by St John, the Seven Churches were the representatives of periods in church history.

After the re-foundation of Thyatira (Akhisar) by Seleucus Nicator, one of the generals of Alexandre the Great, in the 3rd century B.C. it became a commercial city. It had many trade guilds which had members in certain unions like tailors, woolworkers, tanners, potter, bakers etc.. However these guilds were related with the pagan religions in Thyatira.

   The city was located 80km away from Smyrna. What can be seen belonging to ancient times are only the Temple of Apollo, an ancient church and a colonnaded road. St John spoke out to the Christian citizens of Thyatira and the church in his book as below:

Thyatira 

(2:18) To the angel of the church in Thyatira write :
This is the message from the Son of God, whose eyes blaze like fire, whose feet shine like polished brass.
(2:19) I know what you do. I know your love, your faithfulness, your service, and your patience. I know that you are doing more now than you did at first.
(2:20) But this is what I have against you : you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a messenger of God. By her teaching she misleads my servants into practicing sexual immortality and eating food that has been offered to idols.
(2:21) I have her time to repent of her sins, but she does not want to turn from her immortality.
(2:22) And so I will throw her on a bed where she and those who committed adultery with her will suffer terribly. I will do this now unless they repent of the wicked things they did with her.
(2:23) I will also kill her followers, and then all the churches will know that I am the one who knows everyone's thoughts and wishes. I will repay each one of you according to what he has done.
(2:24) But the rest of you in Thyatira have not followed this evil teaching; you have not learned what the others call 'the deep secrets of Satan.' I say to you that I will not put any other burden on you.
(2:25) But until I come, you must hold firmly to what you have.
(2:26-28) To those who win the victory, who continue to the end to do what I want, I will give the same authority that I received from my Father : I will give them authority over the nations, to rule them with and iron rod and to break them to pieces like clay pots. I will also give them the morning star.
(2:29) If you have ears, then, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches!

   Smyrna (Izmir) has a history dating back to the 3rd Millennium B.C. However most of the ruins could only date back to 178 A.D. because of the very effective earthquake in the area which destroyed many buildings. During the persecution of Christians in Smyrna in 156 the famous bishop of Christian Church Polycorp and eleven other Christians were burned at the stake. St John spoke out t the Christians of Smyrna in his book 60 years before the persecutions in Smyrna.

(2:8) To the angel of the church in Smyrna write :
This is the message from the one who is the first and the last, who died and lived again.
(2:9) I know your troubles; I know that you are poor but really you are rich! I know the evil things said against you by those who claim to be Jews but are not; they are a group that belongs to Satan! Don't be afraid of anything you are about to suffer. Listen! The Devil will put you to test by having some of you thrown into prison, and your troubles will last ten days. Be faithful to me, even if it means death, and I will give you life as your prize of victory. If you have ears, then listen to what the Spirit says to the churches! Those who win the victory will not be hurt by the second death.

   Sardis is located on the motorway between Ankara and Izmir which was the capital of famous kingdom Lydia. In his book St John wrote to the Christians of Sardis:

(3:1) To the angel of the church in Sardis write :
This is the message from the one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know what you are doing; I know that you have the reputation of being alive, even though you are dead!
(3:2) So wake up, and strengthen what you still have before it dies completely. For I find that what you have done is not yet perfect in the sight of my God.
(3:3) Remember, then, what you were taught and what you heard; obey it and turn from your sins. If you do not wake up, I will come upon you like a thief, and you will not even know the time when I will come.
(3:4) But a few of you there in Sardis have kept your cloths clean. You will walk with me, clothed in white, because you are worthy to do so.
(3:5) Those who win the victory will be clothed like this in white, and I will not remove their names from the book of the living. In the presence of my Father and of his angels I will declare openly that they belong to me.
(3:6) If you have ears, then, listen to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches!

Philadelphia 

   Philadelphia (Alasehir) was founded by Attalos II in 159 B.C. The aim of founding this city was to establish a gateway and to hellenise the inhabitants of Phrygia. The church named after St John is a rectangular building of six pillars. The city is located 130km away from Smyrna. It was the least important city mentioned in the book of St John. Just like Smyrna, Philadelphia was one of the distinguished churches of Seven Churches which St John stated something bad about. St John wrote in his book to the church of Philadelphia:

(3:7) To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write :
This is the message from the one who is holy and true. He has the key that belonged to David, and when he opens a door, no one can close it, and when he closes it, no one can open it.
(3:8) I know what you do; I know that you have a little power; you have followed my teaching and have been faithful to me. I have opened a door in front of you, which no one can close.
(3:9) Listen! As for that group that belongs to Satan, those liars who claim that they are Jews but are not, I will make them come and bow down at your feet. They will all know that I love you. ;
(3:10) Because you have kept my command to endure, I will also keep you safe from the time of trouble which is coming upon the world to test all the people on earth.
(3:11) I am coming soon. Keep safe what you have, so that no one will rob you of your victory prize.
(3:12) I will make him who is victorious a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which will come down out of heaven from my God. I will also write on him my new name.
(3:13) If you have ears, then, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches!"

Pergamum was a small Ionian city which was first mentioned in connection with Lysimachos, one of the generals of Alexander the Great. In the book of Revelation St John spoke out to the Christian citizens of Pergamum:

Pergamum

(2:12) To the angel of the church in Pergamum write : This is the message from the one who has the sharp two-edged sword.
(2:13) I know where you live, there where Satan has his throne. You are true to me, and you did not abandon your faith in me even during the time when Antipas, my faithful witness, was killed there where Satan lives.
(2:14) But there are a few things I have against you : there are some among you who follow the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak how to lead the people of Israel into sin by persuading them to eat food that had been offered to idols and to practice sexual immorality.
(2:15) In the same way you have people among you who follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
(2:16) Now turn from your sins! If you don't, I will come to you soon and fight against those people with the sword that comes out of my mouth.
(2:17) If you have ears, then, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches! To those who win the victory I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give each of them a white stone on which is written a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it.

Laodicea 

   Laodicea (Eskihisar) was probably founded by King Antiochus II who named the city after his wife Laodice. Before the Christian era in the city, there were wealthy Jewish communities living in the region. However most of the inhabitants worshipped Zeus. St John wrote the message of God to the church of Laodicea in the Revelation Book as:

(3:14) To the angel of the church in Laodicea write : This is the message from the Amen, the faithful and true witness, who is the origin of all that God has created.
(3:15) I know what you have done; I know you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were either one or the other!
(3:16) But because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth!
(3:17) You say, 'I am rich and well off; I have all I need.' But you do not know how miserable and pitiful you are! You are poor, naked, and blind.
(3:18) I advise you, then, to buy gold from me, pure gold, in order to be rich. Buy also white clothing to dress yourself and cover up your shameful nakedness.
(3:19) I rebuke and punish all whom I love. Be in earnest, then, and turn from your sins.
(3:20) Listen! I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into his house and eat with him, and he will eat with me.
(3:21) To those who win the victory I will give the right to sit beside me on my throne, just as I have been victorious and now sit by my Father on his throne.
(3:22) If you have ears, then, listen to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches!

Ephesus 

   Ephesus was mentioned in Acts 19-20 because of St John's ministry in Ephesus. It is the second pilgrimage center for Christians which was also home to Virgin Mary and St John. St John spoke out to the people of Ephesus:

(2:1) To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who walks among the seven gold lamp stands.
(2:2) I know what you have done; I know how hard you have worked and how patient you have been. I know that you can not tolerate evil man and that you have tested those who say they are apostles but are not, and have found out that they are liars.
(2:3) You are patient, you have suffered for my sake, and you have not given up.
(2:4) But this is what I have against you : you do not love me now as you did at first.
(2:5) Think how far you have fallen! Turn from your sins and do what you did at first. If you don't turn from your sins, I will come to you and take your lamp stand from its place.
(2:6) But this is what you have in your favor : you hate what the Nicolaitans do, as much as I do.
(2:7) If you have ears, then, listen to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches! To those who win the victory I will give the right to eat the fruit of the tree of life that grows in the Garden of God.

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