IN the end – or the beginning whichever you look at it – a new page was turned in the life of Didim Chapel on a sunny Sunday morning as Christians quietly ushered in a small piece of history for the local community.
The renovated and rebuilt chapel, sitting in its own grounds, out of sight of its bigger brother Apollo Temple, was ushered back into community use for the first time in decades shortly after 11am.
After all the talk, the dialogue, the points of view and, no doubt, quite a bit of praying, the first full united Christian service took place.
In attendance was Rev Maurice Ryan, priest-in-charge of Didim’s St Mary’s Anglican and Ecumenical Christian Fellowship and Tony Scott of the town’s evangelical group.
Mr Ryan took the hour-long service, praising the input of the current Mayor Deniz Atabay and the former Mayor Mumin Kamaci.
Around 30 members of the Christian community packed into the chapel – almost reminiscent of a small village church somewhere deep in the UK countryside. A couple of passing Turks stopped to listen as the group sang their hymns, raised their eyebrows and carried on.
During the service Mr Ryan recalled the ‘great difficulties’ the local parish committee had experienced in persuading the Didim administration to repair the church. He recounted during his sermon how he and his wife, and two friends had walked to the ruined spot where the chapel now stands.
He said: “We came to look at the ruined chapel, the roof had fallen in and part of the building had probably been used for housing cattle for several years previous. I gave a small prayer for the doors of this chapel to be opened to God again and for us to be able to worship together.
“After the prayer, both my wife and two friends spoke of how they had heard of church bells ringing. I suggested there couldn’t have been in an environment such as this, but a few days later we spoke to an elderly gentleman at the Apollo Temple.
“He recalled how before the 1923 Greek-Turk Population exchange there would have been small scattered Christian chapels in the local area and there would have been church bells ringing.
“On a later visit to the chapel we felt renewed optimism and God’s presence. It was like a voice asking us to trust in God. And today, here we stand in the Father’s name.”
The service included readings from Genesis, Chapter 28, Verses 11-18; the First Letter of Peter, Chapter 2, Verses 1-10 and the Gospel according to John, Chapter 10, Verses 22-29. Hymns sung were Praise My Soul the King of Heaven; Holy Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty and When I Survey the Wonderous Cross.
After the service Mr Ryan and Mr Scott spoke of their delight at seeing the chapel back in community use. Mr Ryan said: “It was a very happy, if historic, occasion knowing that there is a great sense of continuity with the Christians that prayed here in years and centuries gone by.”
Mr Scott said: “This has been a moment that we have been praying and working towards for a long time and now it is real, I am over-whelmed with joy.”
Services will now be taken at Didim Chapel on future Sundays.