Byzantine Churches in Constantinople: Their History and Architecture — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Byzantine Churches in Constantinople: Their History and Architecture
John Stuart Mill · en
The monastery was also honoured by the burial there, in 740, of the
Patriarch Germanus (714-730), famous for his piety, his learning, and
above all for his opposition to Leo the Isaurian, when that emperor
commenced the crusade against eikons. The tomb of the patriarch was
reputed to perform wonderful cures.[518] Another notable personage
buried at the Chora was the patrician Bactagius, an associate of
Artavasdos in the effort, made in 743, to drive Constantine Copronymus
from the throne. Upon the failure of that attempt Bactagius was
captured, beheaded in the Kynegion, and while his head was displayed to
public view in the Milion for three days, his mutilated body was taken
to the Chora. This might have seemed sufficient revenge. But the rebel's
offence so rankled in the emperor's memory, that even after the lapse of
some thirty years his resentment was not allayed. The widow of Bactagius
was then forced to proceed to the Chora to disinter the bones of her
husband from their resting-place in holy earth, and carry them in her
cloak to the dreary burial-ground of Pelagion, where the corpses of
persons who committed suicide were thrown.[519]
Like similar institutions the Chora suffered severely during the
iconoclastic period. Because of its connection with the Patriarch
Germanus it became the special object of the hatred of Constantine
Copronymus for monks and was almost ruined. What he left of it was
turned into a secular residence, and devoted to the confinement of
Artavasdos and his family. There also that rebel, and his nine children
and his wife, Constantine's sister, were eventually buried.[520]