Antioch of Syria

Antioch of Syria, on the Orontes River, was one of the greatest cities of the Roman Empire and became the launching point of the church’s mission to the Gentiles.

Where believers were first called Christians

After persecution scattered the believers, some came to Antioch and preached to Greeks as well as Jews. A great number believed, Barnabas and Saul taught there for a year, "and the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch" (Acts 11:20–26).

The sending church

The Antioch church became a model of generosity, sending relief to the famine-struck believers in Judea (Acts 11:29–30). It was from Antioch that the Holy Spirit set apart Barnabas and Saul, sending them out on the first missionary journey (Acts 13:1–3).

The Gentile question

A dispute at Antioch over whether Gentiles must be circumcised led to the Jerusalem Council, whose decision of freedom in Christ was carried back and read to the rejoicing church (Acts 15:30–31).

Founded around 300 BC by Seleucus I, Antioch (near modern Antakya in southern Turkey) grew into the third-largest city of the Roman world after Rome and Alexandria. It was a cosmopolitan hub of Greek, Roman, Jewish, and Syrian populations — fertile ground for the early Christian mission. The city later suffered repeated earthquakes; much of the ancient city lies buried beneath later settlement.