Inscribed Devotion: Hagiographic Memory, Monastic Space, and Sacred Topography in Cappadocia’s Rock-Cut Churches

This article examines the entangled relationship between hagiographic memory, liturgical space, and sacred landscape in the rock-cut monastic settlements of Cappadocia. Drawing on archeological, iconographic, and acoustic analyses, this article argues that the morphology of these sanctuaries—shaped by volcanic tuff and carved over centuries—was not only functional but performed a theological and mnemonic function. The spatial arrangement of apses, naves, and funerary chambers encoded rituals and commemorative acts, while painted iconographies mediated doctrinal meaning and cosmic orientation. Furthermore, this study situates Cappadocia within broader traditions of monastic hagiography, tracing how carved architecture preserved saintly narratives, communal memory, and devotional performance. By engaging with recent debates in heritage theory, the article also contends that these monastic landscapes continue to act as living archives, sustaining religious and cultural identities beyond their historical moment. The study thus contributes to emerging interdisciplinary discussions on sacred space, material devotion, and the performativity of memory in medieval Christian monasticism.