Sister Churches

Saturday we walked around in the old city of Istanbul all day.  We visited some of the most beautiful buildings and palaces that all of Turkey has to offer.  Our first stop was the archeological museum of Istanbul.  We then visited Topkapa Palace before moving on to the Hagia Irene and Hagia Sofia museums and then finishing at the impressive Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar.  Seeing these sights was incredible; however, the two sights that impressed me the most were the Hagia Irene and Hagia Sophia.

The Hagia Irene and the Hagia Sophia are very similar to each other.  They were constructed around the same time, and both competed to be the better church.  Both churches have had a colored history being repurposed, destroyed and remodeled over the years.  These churches' names are also very similar.  The word “Hagia” means “holy.”  The word “Irene” means “peace,” and “Sophia” means “wisdom.”  These churches are basically sisters, Holy Peace Church and Holy Wisdom Church. 

The Hagia Irene as it stands today

The inside of the Hagia Irene.  Note the simple interior.

In the 6^th century, the current Hagia Irene was built replacing another church that had stood at this site, which has had an important role to play in the history of the early church.  The earlier church was where the second ecumenical council, also known as the Council of Constantinople, was held in AD 381. These ecumenical councils were held with groups of elders within the church (as a whole) to help define the Christian religion.  Many of these councils happened in Asia Minor.  The second council was over the Apollinarius controversy.  This was an early church heresy that wanted to know what part of Jesus was divine.  This controversy was settled right here in the Hagia Irene and being in the church were this important council took place really made the history of the early church come alive.

When Constantinople was taken over by the Ottoman Empire, the Hagia Irene was the only church to not be converted into a Mosque.  Due to its location within Topkapa palace it was instead repurposed into storage house for the Ottoman soldiers.  Here they stored all their weapons, armor, and other personal items, basically the church became a locker room.  Later on the church was again repurposed but now for its historical value.  The old church still stood despite the area being known for earthquakes. It is now a museum and can be rented out (as it currently is).  The church has some of the best acoustics despite being made back in the 6^th century.

The Hagia Sophia, a popular tourist location

The Hagia Sophia have a far more jaded history than her sister the Hagia Irene.  It is believed that the Hagai Sophia was constructed originally on the ruins of a Roman temple to Apollo.  When it was constructed, the church was meant to be a simple church; it was not originally built with such grandeur and majesty as it currently possesses.  Again it was a simple church, constructed along with the Hagia Irene in the 6^th century.  The original church was sacked and destroyed in 522.  Later on Emperor Justinian wanted to rebuild the church.  He hired the architect Miletus be his primary contractor.  The Emperor wanted to build a magnificent church; however, a lighter type of brick was needed to build as high and wide as Justinian requested.  Miletus sailed to the Greek island Rhodes and found that the soil there made bricks that were stronger and lighter than Roman bricks.  The church was thus constructed with Grecian soil.  It is this soil that gives the church a reddish glow in the sun.

Solomon you have been beaten

Upon completion of the church, Justinian and his royal soldiers rode down the main pathway, and upon entering the church, Justinian proclaimed, “Solomon! I beat you!”  Indeed the church lives up to this proclamation being incredibly beautiful.  My camera cannot even begin to capture its beauty.  The Hagia Sophia has the highest dome of any church in Turkey at 56 meters and is named among the largest churches of the world surpassed only by Saint Peters Church (a.k.a the Vatacan) and La Sagrada Familia in Spain.  

When the Ottomans took over Constantinople, The Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque.  From 1453-1934 the Hagia Sophia was a mosque.  After the Independence war, Turkey was considered a secular nation.  Because of this, Christians living in Turkey petitioned to the government that the Hagia Sophia be given back to the Christians so that they may worship in their old church.  Ataturk ruled that the Hagia Sophia be converted into a museum instead to preserve it.

Like its sister the Hagia Irene played an important role in the early church.  The lesser known 5^th and 6^th ecumenical councils were convened in the Hagia Sophia.  

An ancient mosaic: Jesus is in the center, to the left is Mary and to the right is Saint John, the Baptist

One of the most unique things about the Hagia Sophia is its importance to both Muslims and Christians.  Christians feel that the church should be theirs because it was originally a church and that it should still be used for the worship of Christ alone.  Muslims claim that since it was a mosque for nearly 500 years it should remain a mosque.  In fact the main hall of the church has both Christian symbols like mosaics of Jesus, Mary, the Saints, crosses, etc. but also Muslim symbols such as Minarets and the Gate of Paradise.  In a way the Church is locked in a struggle, a war between two religions.  Today the church is a museum, and Christian, Muslims, and non-religious people all hold it in high esteem.  Yet despite being a museum, the minarets are still used for Islamic calls to prayer; a symbol of something to come…perhaps but that is another discussion for another time.

A painting of a Cherubim on the inside of the Hagia Sophia

by Daniel Postema