The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-01-18
St, SOPH|A's CATHEDRAL
Erected in 5s2-cost $4,000, ,ooo-
Turned into a Mosque in 1452-May
Be Restored to the Christians.

One of the beautiful ideas attached
to St. Sophia's in COnstantinople,
built as a Cathedral and converted
into a mosque at the time of the
Turkish conquest, is that when the
city shall be restored to Christian
rule the figure of Our Divine Saviour
will appear on the pinnacle and bless
the faithful.
Bulgaria owes it's conversion from
paganism to Christianity to the splen-
dors of st. Sophia. In the centuries
since then the Bulgars have held the
spot in special veneration. They ex-
pect that the rare privilege of opening
the old place for worship will fall to
them, and that then Our Blessed Lord
will appear First Mass by the con-
uuerors, according to the announced
program will be held for the Bulgarian
army.
Grander cathedrals than that of st.
Sophia have been built, but none is
invested with stronger sentimental
interest. 1t was erected by the EN-
peror Justinian in the year 532. Its
construction occupied five years and
its cost was equivalent to present
outlay of $10,0O0,0OO. The emperor
took active part in the beginning OF
the work, but absented himself from
it toward the end, in order that he
might get from it better impression
than if he had been with it through
out.
In the solemn festival of its con-
secration when he first beheld it en-
tire, he exclaimed in a burst OF re,
ligious ecstasy: GLORY be to God,
who hath thought me worthy to ac-
complish so great a work. I have
vanquished thee, o Solomon"
All the world contributed to the
structure. Eight columns of por.
phory which Aurelian had taken from
the temple of the Sun in Baalbeck
were sent to it from Rome. The
magistrates of Ephesus furnished
eight columns of green marble from
the Temple of Diana, which had been
one of the worlds wonders. Syria
Egypt and Africa paid lavish tribute
to this greatest of all edifces. The
sheathing of marble that covers the
building produced the most marvel
GUS color schemes In the sanctuary
were $4,000 pounds of silver, and the
sacred vessels were of solid gold, in
laid with gems. All the Christian
countries sent their chief artists and
sculptors to produce frescoes, mo
saics and images for the cathedral.
It's most noted architectural feat
ure is a central dome that appears tc
float over a rectangular base, 180 feet
in the air. It's diameter is 115 feet
and the curve is so gentle that the
depth of the dome equals only one
sixth of the diameter. 1t rests upor
two large and six small semi-domes
which also produce the effect of hang
ing in the air. In turn they are sup
ported by 1O7 pillars of vari-coloret
marble. The ground plan covers 25(
by 235 feet.
Mohammed II. on conquering Con
stantinop1e in 1853, made a mosque
of the edifice The sacred images
were destroyed, the affairs broken fol
their incrustation of gems, and the
invaders painted over or covered witt
whitewash the Christian mosaics. Al
the time of the invasion CONSTANT
nople was rich in public and private
archives and historical writings
Many of these are supposed to have
been thrown into the vaults under
St. Sophia There is no record o.
their having been disturbed, as the
looters wanted only treasure. If the
records still remain there they viii
increase immensely the worlds avail
able stores of research. Most of the
old mosaics may be seen again IL
their original form by the removal Of
the paint and whitewash that cove1
them.
It viii be of the highest Importance
to send construction engineers to Con
stantinople from Europe to strengthen
st. Sophia. Earthquakes in recent
years have cracked the walls, and fol
q long time the building has not beer
considered safe.