Cemil Church

Cemil Church

The Cemil Church, also known as the Holy Cross Church, was consecrated and opened in 1882 by Archpriest Paisios. It is located at the entrance of Cemil village, about 15 kilometers from Ürgüp and 38 kilometers from Nevşehir. The church is dedicated to the Holy Cross, and its construction began on May 21st, which is a significant day in Christianity as it marks the day when it became the official religion of Rome. The church was completed later that same year and opened for worship.

Cemil Church

The church has a basic plan with a cradle vaulted roof and measures 24.5 meters in length and 14.5 meters in width. The smooth stonework of the church draws attention, and it is located right before a two-storey solid bell tower. There is an old chapel carved into the rock on the northeast side of the church, with paintings on both sides. The dates of the paintings are 1913 and 1914, respectively.

The Nartex of the church features six arched columns that are commonly found in Byzantine churches. These columns separate the central part of the worship area from the outer ring. In 2014, the Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomew held a service near this site.