Constantinople and the Scenery of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor: Series One and Series Two in one VolumeWalsh, R. (Robert)
History
Constantinople and the Scenery of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor: Series One and Series Two in one Volume
Walsh, R. (Robert)
Istanbul (Turkey) -- History; Istanbul (Turkey) -- Pictorial works
The present church of St. Theodore at Pergamus, is a poor, mean
edifice, forming a strong contrast with the noble remains of the church
of St. John, beside it: yet it is the only place of Christian worship
now in the city. It stands on the side of the hill of the Acropolis,
and appears but the remnant of a former church. The sanctuary is the
only part not altogether dilapidated, the rest being only a mud-built
heap. The screen, which in all Greek churches, however humble, glitters
with gilding and gaudy paint, is here so dark and dingy, that even
in the glow of the sun, or the ever-lighted lamps, the figures are
scarcely discernible; yet it is pleasing to find, even in this dim
temple, a spark of Christianity is cherished, likely to beam into a
clearer light. The poor papas of the church have formed a school under
the roof, in which more than thirty children are instructed, and the
bibles of the British and Foreign Society are introduced.
Among the objects presented in our illustration, is one characteristic
of the saint to whom the church is dedicated. The expulsion of devils
was included among the miracles performed in the name of Theodore; and
in our illustration is a poor maniac waiting before the sanctuary, for
the purpose, while the appointed papas are exorcising him. A belief in
actual possession by evil spirits, is the dogma of the Greek church
at the present day; and in many of them are seen chains and manacles
passed through rings in the floor, where the unfortunate maniac is
bound night and day while the process of exorcism is being gone
through. In a Greek monastery on the islands, is a chapel famed for
the efficacy of its prayers in this way, to which patients are sent
from Constantinople, and the floor of the church, at times, was almost
covered with those demoniacs chained down to the ground. During the
excitement of the Greek insurrection, the priests were the particular
objects of Turkish persecution; and the Caloyers of this convent were
particularly proscribed. They all escaped but one, and he was anxiously
preparing to fly, expecting every moment his executioners; he saw them
ascending the hill, on the summit of which the convent is situated,
and, as a forlorn hope, he ran into the chapel, thrust his legs and
arms into the fetters, and appeared violently possessed, so that no
man “could bind him, no, not with chains.” The Turks entertain great
respect for maniacs, whom they believe to be, when bereft of reason,
in the immediate care of Allah; so they only looked compassionately on
the poor man, and left the church. The Caloyer escaped, descended in
the dark into a caïque, which was secretly waiting for him, and escaped
finally to Russia, the great refuge of the proscribed Greeks.
[Illustration: T. Allom. T. A. Friar.
APARTMENT IN THE PALACE OF EYOUB, THE RESIDENCE OF THE
ASMÉ SULTANA.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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