Constantinople: The Story of the Old Capital of the EmpireHutton, William Holden
History
Constantinople: The Story of the Old Capital of the Empire
Hutton, William Holden
Istanbul (Turkey)
There are many later churches which carry us back to the vigorous age
of Byzantine art. First must be placed the μονὴ τῆς χώρας,
the Church of S. Saviour "in the country," now called Kahriyeh
Djamissi. It stands on an open space of broken ground near the gate of
Charisius, Edirnè Kapoussi. It is shown to-day, most courteously and
sympathetically, by an imâm with whom it is a pleasure to converse.
The Christian feels almost at home, though the Moslem has long
worshipped where for so many centuries the Holy Sacrifice was offered.
The Church of the Chora was rebuilt, or refounded, by Justinian. The
site had been chosen by Constantine for a monastery which he erected
outside the walls, "in the country." When Justinian built it, it was
within the walls which Theodosius had made. It fell into decay, and
Maria Dukaina, the mother-in-law of Alexius Comnenus, restored it.
Finally Theodore the Logothete, in 1381, completed the work. Of recent
years it has been thoroughly repaired. It has an inner and an outer
narthex, a central church and two side chapels.
No church, save S. Sophia, has more touching memories. Crispus, the
son-in-law of the Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, redecorated it, and found
in it his resting-place as a monk. Patriarchs have retired there.
Theodore, who beautified it, had to seek refuge there when Andronicus
II. was deposed, and he ended his days as a monk within its walls.
Under the sovereigns of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries it was
famous. Near to the palace of Blachernae the Emperors often worshipped
there. It kept for part of the year the sacred picture of the Blessed
Virgin which was believed to have been the work of S. Luke, and was
there yearly shown on Easter Monday for the veneration of the people.
When the Turks broke in, the Janissaries seized the picture and cut it
into fragments, for charms. The church was turned into a mosque very
soon after the conquest. Petrus Gyllius rediscovered it, for it seems
soon to have had its history forgotten; and he noted the beauty of the
capitals.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account