Dedicatory inscriptions
1. The oldest dedicatory inscription
(majuscule script, in red paint, runs the front of the triumphal arch of the north church to the side of the nave)
+ Νικήτας καὶ Εὐδοκία σὺν τῇ γονῇ βοῶσίν σε Χ(ριστ)ὲ ὁ Θ(εὸς)
[τῶν δυ]νάμεων...ξ ... ... ααςιν...βο......λ...σου +Jerphanion has established it as follows:
+ Νικήτας καὶ Εὐδοκία σὺν τῇ γονῇ βοῶσίν σε Χ(ριστ)έ...
[Κ(ύρι)ε ὁ Θ(εὸ)ς τῶν δυ]νάμεων [ἐ]ξ[έγειρον εἰς συνάντη]σιν [ἡμῶν καὶ;] βο[ή]θ(ειαν) δούλ(ου) σου.
de Jerphanion, G., “Inscriptions Byzantines de la région d’Ürgúp en Cappadoce”, Mélanges de la Faculté oriental de l’Université St.-Joseph (Beyrouth) 6-7 (1913), p. 343, no. 61, and Les églises rupestres de Cappadoce. Une nouvelle province de l’art byzantin (Paris 1925-1942), I, 2, p. 504, inscr. no. 82.
2. The second dedicatory (?) inscritpion
(on the same spot, majuscule script, in red paint, upon the plaster that covered the previous inscription)
… νεον … μονα … … Χ(ριστ)ὲ ἀξίου(ς) ἡμᾶς ποίησον τὸ[ν εὔν]οιόν σου(;) απ...
de Jerphanion, G., “Inscriptions Byzantines de la region d’Ürgúp en Cappadoce” Mélanges de la Faculté oriental de l’Université St.-Joseph (Beyrouth) 6-7 (1913), p. 343, no. 66.
Inscriptions with liturgical content
(painted, in red paint, upon the plaster of the walls, contemporary or later than the second dedicatory inscription)
1. [+ Μεθ'ημων ο Θεος γνω]τ εθΝΪ Κ(αι) ηΤ[α]σΘΕ ΩΤΗ ΜΕΘ ΪΜΟΝ ο Θ(εο)ς
[επακ]ΟΥσαΤε [ως ε]πυ εσΧΑΤΟΥ ΤΪC ΓΗC ΟΤΪ Μ[εθ᾿ ημ]Ο[ν] ο Θ(εο)ς
ΗCΧΥΚοΤες ΗΤΑCΘε οΤΪ Μ[εθ᾿ ημων] ο Θ(εο)ς
ΕΑΝ ΓΑΡ ΠαλΪΝ [ισχυ]σηΤε ΠαλΗΝ ΪΤΗΘΪCΕCΘΕ ΟΤΗ ΜΕΘ ΪΜΟΝ [o θ(εο)ς]
[. . . . . . . ] ΧΥ βουΛΕΥCHΪς [δ]ϊΑCΚ(ε)[δ]ΑCΪ K(υριο)C ΟΤΪ ΜΕΘ ΪΜΟΝ Ο Θ(εο)C 5
+ Κ(αι) ΛΟΓ[ον ον] εαΝ ΛΑλΪ[σ]ΕΤΕ Ου ΜΪ ΕΝΜΪΝΪ [οτι μεθ᾿ ημων ο θ(εο)ς]
ΤΟΝ [δε φοβ]ΟΝ ΪΜΟΝ ΟΥ ΜΪ ΦΟΒΪΘΟΜεν [ουδ]Ε [μ]Ϊ ΤΑΡΑΧΘΟΜΕΝ ΟΤΪ ΜΕΘ ΪΜΟΝ ο θ(εο)ς
Κ(υριο)Ν ΔΕ ΤΟΝ Θ(εο)Ν ΪΜον [αυ]Τ[ο]Ν αγΪ[ασ]ομεΝ Κ(αι) αΥΤΟς εσΤε ηΜΪΝ ΦΟ[β]ος ΟΤΪ μεθ ϊ[μων ο] θ(εο)ς
[κ(αι) εα]Ν γ[?] εΠΥ α[υ]Το [ωμεν πε]πυθ[ο]Τ[ε]ς ΕCTE ΪMΪ[ν εις α]γ[ι]ασΜΟΝ ΟΤΪ ΜεΘ Ϊμον ο [θ(εο)ς]
+ Μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς γνῶτε ἔθνη καὶ ἡττᾶσθε ὅτι μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς
ἐπακούσατε ὥς ἐπι ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς ὅτι μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς
ἰσχυκότες ἡττᾶσθε ὅτι μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς
ἐὰν γὰρ πάλιν ἰσχύσητε πάλιν ἡττηθήσεσθε ὅτι μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς
[. . . . . . . ]χυ βουλεύσῃς διασκεδάσει Kύριος ὅτι μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς 5
+ Καὶ λόγον ὃν ἐὰν λαλήσετε οὔ μη ἐν ἡμῖν ὅτι μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς
τὸν δὲ φόβον ἡμῶν οὔ μη φοβηθῶμεν οὔδε μη ταραχθῶμεν ὅτι μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς
Κύριον δὲ τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν αὐτὸν ἁγιάσομεν καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται ἡμῖν φόβος ὅτι μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς
καὶ ἐὰν γ(ε;) ἐπὶ αὐτὸ ὧμεν πεπυθότες ἐστὲ ἡμῖν εἰς ἁγιασμὸν ὅτι μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς
It is a prayer from the liturgy of the Great Apodeipnon (that is celebrated on the evenings during the Lent), inspired by the text of Isaiah 8.9-14. The inscription runs the highest part of the south wall and the north wall of the north church, starting from the south. It was written in a continuous line – the verses in the transcription have been defined by Jerphanion, based on the liturgical text.
de Jerphanion, G., “Inscriptions Byzantines de la region d’Ürgúp en Cappadoce”, Mélanges de la Faculté oriental de l’Université St.-Joseph (Beyrouth) 6-7 (1913), p. 344-5, no. 62.
2. ... Μ ε ΧΪΡΕCΟΥ ΔΪΑΠΕΤΕΤΑΜΕΝΕ ΠΡΟC Κ(υριο)Ν CΤΕΝΑΓΜΥC AΛΑΛΗΤΥC Κ(αι) ΔΑΚΡΥCΗΝ CΥΝΠΑΘΪας υΠΕρ ΪΜΟ[ν]
αἱ χεῖρές σου διαπετεταμέναι πρὸς Κύριον στεναγμοῖς ἀλαλήτοις καὶ δάκρυσιν συμπαθείας ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν
The inscription runs the first of the three successive arches on the south wall. The phrase «στεναγμοῖς ἀλαλήτοις» comes from Paul’s epistle to the Romans 8.26.
de Jerphanion, G., “Inscriptions Byzantines de la région d’Ürgúp en Cappadoce”, Mélanges de la Faculté oriental de l’Université St.-Joseph (Beyrouth) 6-7 (1913), p. 346, no. 63.
3. ... ... ... Τ(ο)Υ Θ(εο)Υ ΪΜΟΝ ... ... ΪΝΑ ... ... ΤΟΥC ΕΛΠΙΖΟΝΤΑC ΗCΕ+ΤΟΝΥΝ [...]
... ... ... τ(ο)ῦ Θ(εο)ῦ ἡμῶν ... ... ἵνα ... ... τοὺς ἐλπίζοντας εἴς σε + τὸ νῦν (?) ... ...
The inscription was above the second of the three arches on the south wall. The last third of the inscription is extremely illegible and no words are discerned. According to Jerphanion, the cross almost at the center of the inscription indicates that there were actually two separate liturgical texts.
de Jerphanion, G., “Inscriptions Byzantines de la region d’Ürgúp en Cappadoce”, Mélanges de la Faculté oriental de l’Université St.-Joseph (Beyrouth) 6-7 (1913), p. 346, no. 64.
4. + τ](ο)ῦ θΕ(ο)ῦ εΑΘΟΤΟC ETYMY CYN[?]ελΘΟΜΕΝ CΥΝ ΑΤΟ ΪC ΤΟΝ ΓΑΜΟΝ οC ΓΑΡ ΥΚΤΗΡΜΟΝ ΔΟΡΟΝ Ο Θ(εο)C ΠΑCΗΝ ΔΟΡΪΤΕ ΤΟΝ ΑΠΘΑΡΤΟΝ CΤΕ[φ]ΑΝ[η?]ΟΝ +
+ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἑαθότος ἕτοιμοι συνέλθωμεν σὺν αὐτῷ εἰς τὸν γάμον ὅς γαρ οἰκτίρμων, δῶρον ὁ Θ(εὸ)ς πᾶσιν δωρεῖται τὸν ἄφθαρτον στέφανον+
The inscription was above the third arch on the southern wall. The first part was inspired by Matt. 25.10, and the second by the 1 Cor. 9.25.
de Jerphanion, G., “Inscriptions Byzantines de la région d’Ürgúp en Cappadoce”, Mélanges de la Faculté oriental de l’Université St.-Joseph (Beyrouth) 6-7 (1913), p. 347, no. 65.