Çavuşin Church is located at the entrance of Çavuşin Village, part of Avanos district in Nevşehir, situated on the Göreme-Avanos road approximately 2.5 kilometers from Göreme. The church is carved into natural rock and built in two levels: the lower floor consists of monk cells, while the upper floor serves as the worship area. The original natural staircase to the upper floor has collapsed and is now accessed by a later-added iron staircase. The church features a single nave with a barrel vault and three apses. The narthex on the west side has been destroyed.

^{Çavuşin Church (Türkiye Kültür Portalı)}

Historical and Cultural Context

Çavuşin Church is associated with Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas (963–969) and is dated between 964 and 965 during his reign. The church was built to honor the devout rulers and soldiers during the Cilicia campaigns against the Arabs, reflecting the imperial family’s frequent stays in the region. The structure is part of the Cappadocia region, which was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on December 6, 1985.

Architectural Features

The church’s plan approximates a near-rectangular shape oriented northeast-southwest, carved into the rock. The entrance is on the southwest side, slightly off the axis to the right. The nave is covered with a barrel vault. On the east side, there are three apses, with the central apse larger, deeper, and longer than the side apses. The central apse has a rounded interior plan and is elevated from the nave by steps, its floor higher than those of the side apses. The side apses include seating benches. The narthex on the west has been destroyed, and access to the nave is currently via an iron staircase.

Wall Paintings and Iconography

The interior walls are decorated with frescoes depicting scenes from the Bible related to Jesus and Mary, prophets from the Torah, Church Fathers, Christian saints, angels, and figures portraying the emperor and his retinue. Scenes from the Bible are found on the vault and side walls, including the Annunciation to Mary, Joseph’s second dream, the journey to Bethlehem, the Nativity, the Three Magi, the Flight into Egypt, the Massacre of the Innocents, the Resurrection of Lazarus, the Transfiguration of Jesus, the Last Supper, Judas’s betrayal, Jesus’s crucifixion, and Ascension. The central axis of the vault’s western side features portraits of four prophets (Jeremiah, Daniel, Habakkuk, and Amos). On the north wall, beneath scenes related to Jesus, there is a depiction of 40 Christian martyrs.

^{Çavuşin Church (Türkiye Kültür Portalı)}

Imperial Depictions and Inscriptions

In the niche of the north apse, Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas, his wife Theophano, the emperor’s father Bardas Phokas, his brother Leo Phokas, and possibly Leo’s wife are portrayed together. An inscription within the niche reads: "God, always protect our pious emperors Nikephoros and Theophano, our despoina (empress)." The figures hold crosses, referencing the sacred crosses brought to Constantinople following Nikephoros’s 965 victory over the Arabs. This imperial portrayal symbolically connects Nikephoros’s legitimacy and piety with that of Constantine the Great in the context of Byzantine political ideology.

At the eastern end of the north wall, Nikephoros’s commanders Melias and possibly Ioannes Tzimiskes are depicted on horseback. The inscription was altered after Ioannes Tzimiskes became emperor, granting him the title “basileios” (ruler) and calling Melias magistros for aid.

Other Figures and Depictions

Inside the main apse niche are portraits of Patriarch Germanos I of Constantinople, Saint Hypatius, Patriarch Proklos of Constantinople, Saint Epiphanius, two unidentified Church Fathers, Saint Basil, as well as Constantine the Great—the first Byzantine emperor—and his mother Helena. The northeast corner niche depicts the archangel Michael, and the southeast corner niche shows the archangel Gabriel. At Michael’s feet are two donor figures kneeling, though their identities remain unknown.

Significance and Preservation Status

Çavuşin Church is one of the important surviving and precisely dated examples of 10th-century Byzantine monumental painting. Although the narthex has collapsed, access is possible via an iron staircase inside. Some of the frescoes have suffered damage. The Cappadocia region, where the church is located, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985. Some scholars suggest that other carved spaces in the same rock mass belong to a monastery and that imperial patronage played a role in its construction.