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Floating on By

Location: Goreme Valley, Zelle Valley, Ancient Iconium

We woke up in the early hours of the morning with great expectation. We weren’t sure if it was going to happen or not. 

Pick-up time was scheduled for 6:20 a.m. Initially we were told it might be too windy to go up. Doubts began to creep in as we waited in expectation. Would it happen?

At 6:30 a.m., we got the call. We were going up in the hot air balloon!

Cappadocia is famous for its year-round, sunrise hot air balloon rides. Every morning, anywhere from 80 to 160 hot air balloons paint the morning sky, making for a brilliant sight. However, the weather and wind conditions must be just right. This morning, due to slightly high wind gusts, the company delayed confirming whether the conditions would be okay for flying. After a few minutes, the wind died down, and God blessed us with a beautiful morning.

The company picked us up at the hotel and their drivers raced down to the take-off location, where several balloons were preparing for lift-off. Twenty-two of us, including our priests, hopped into the balloon’s basket and shortly thereafter we lifted into the sky. 

It was surreal floating through the air in the hot air balloon. Let me draw the view for you: the sun slowly rose over the mountains, the skyline was filled with hot air balloons, and we reached an altitude of 8,000 feet! In a basket! What a view! Perhaps the most surreal part of the flight was overlooking Cappadocia, one of the early centers of Christianity. Throughout the region, Christians literally carved out Churches and houses in the sides of the rocks. 

We visited Gorem Valley later in the morning, full of cave Churches with frescoes painted within. The frescoes captured saints and key moments in Jesus’ life and the Gospels. We learned that these frescoes were a primary way that early Christians became familiar with the Gospel. It was incredible to pray with these images, knowing that early Christians worshipped and celebrated Mass in those very caves. What a blessing!

As I write this, we are headed south to Konya (Ancient Iconium), which St. Paul visited during his first missionary journey. 

Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we continue our pilgrimage in Turkey!

-Josh Solarz, Dioceses of Joliet, Illinois

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