The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-07-05
.BAsILICA OF ST. SOPHIA
A CHRISTIAN TEMPLE CONVERT
ED INTO A MosoUE-BUILT IN
THE SIXTH CENTURY AT A COST
OF $1o,ooo,ooo.

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 con-
quest, is that when the city is restored
to Christian rule the figure of Our Di-
vine Saviour will again appear on the
pinnacle and bless the faithful.
Bulgaria owes it's conversion from
paganism to Christianity to the splen-
doris of st. Sophia. In the centuries
since then the Bulgars have held the
spot in special generation. 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.
Far grander Cathedrals than that of
St. Sophia have been built, but none is
invested with stronger sentimental in
terest. 1t was erected by the Emperor
Justinian in the year 532. Its con
struction occupied five years and its
cost was equivalent to a present out
lay of $1O,0O0,OOO. The Emperor took
active part in the beginning of the
work, but absented himself from it to.
ward the end, in order that he might
get from it better impression than
if he had been with it throughout.
In the solemn festival of it's conse.
Grafton when he first beheld it entire,
he exclaimed in burst of religious
ecstasy: GLORY be to God, who hath
thought me worthy to accomplish SO
great work. have vanquished thee,
o Solomon
ALI the world contributed to the
structure. Eight columns of porphory
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 Di
ana, which had been one of the worlds
wonders. Syria, Egypt and Africa paiG
lavish tribute to this greatest of al
edifices. The sheathing of marble thai
covers the building produced the mos
marvellous color schemes. In the
sanctuary were $4,000 pounds of sill
yer, and the sacred vessels were Of
solid gold, inlaid with gems. All the
Christian countries sent their chic
artists and sculptors to produce fres
Goes, mosaics and images for the
| Cathedral
It's most noted architectural feature
is central dome that appears to loa
over the rectangular base, $50 feet il
the air. It's diameter is lis feet, anC
the curve is SO gentle that the deptI
of the dome equals only one-sixth Of
the diameter. 1t rests upon two large
and six small semi-domes, which also
produce the effect of hanging in the
air. In turn they are supported by
107 pillars of vari-colored marble. The
ground plan covers $50 by 225 feet.
Mohammed II. on conquering Con
stantinople in 1853, made a mosque o.
the edifice. The sacred images were
destroyed, the affairs broken for theil
incrustation of gems, and the invaders
painted over or covered with white
wash the Christian mosaics. At the
| time of the invasion Constantinople
was rich in public and private
archives and historical writings. Many
of these are supposed to have beer
thrown into the vaults under ST. So
phia. There is no record of theil
having been disturbed, as the hooters
wanted only treasure. If the records
still remain there they will increase
immensely the worlds available stores
of research. Most of the old mosaics
may be seen again in their origina
form by the removal of the paint ant
whitewash that cover them.
1t will 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
long time the building has not beer
considered safe.