Yilanli (Snaked) Church (Goreme)

The church is located inside Goreme Open Air Museum.

The church contains the depictions of the Saints that are respected in Cappadoccia and is dated to be constructed to the 11th century. Some of the depictions in the frescos are as follows: Jesus holding a bible and accompanied by the Bani of the Church, Saint Onesimus, Saint George and saint Theodore battling the dragon, Saint Oniphrius naked, with long hair and holding a palm tree in front.

Its entrance is from the north. The main place has a longitudinal rectangular plan. It is cradle vaulted and the additional place in the south has a flat ceiling. Its abscissa is carved in the left long wall and the church was abandoned before the completion.

On both sides of the church vault, the pictures of respected saints of Cappadocia can be found. The church is dated to the 11th century.

The Scenes: Just across the entrance, Christ holding the Bible in his left hand; in the east of the vault: St. Onesimus, St. George fighting with the dragon, St. Theodore, Helena holding the real cross and her son Konstantin; in the west of the vault: naked St. Onuphrius with long hair and a palm tree in front of him, beside him St. Thomas in a blessing position and St. Basil with a book in his hand are pictured.

In the 1st century AD, people called "Hermits", who devoted themselves to religion and withdrew to solitude, lived in Egyptian deserts. The last hermit St. Paphnutius, went to Egyptian deserts in order to learn the life and life style of the hermist in the 4th century AD and met St. Onuphrius who gave his name to the church. St. Paphnutius was around when St. Onuphrius was dying. Because, St. Onuphrius was the best example of virtue and overcoming fleshy cravings. In the pictures, St. Onuphrius is naked, has long hair and a huge body and stands in front of a palm tree.