DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.24719#0189
142
THESSALONICA.
THE CHURCH OE ST. SOPHIA.
The idea of consecrating a church to the Divine Wisdom does not appear to have been
realized before the reign of Justinian; but after the 6th century all the large towns of the
empire emulated the example of the capital, and churches with this dedication were every-
where erected.
Several churches dedicated to St. Sophia still exist, and amongst the number the cathedral
of Thessalonica, on account of its good state of preservation and its fine constructions deserves
to be classed in the first rank. In default of historical information about the date of its foun-
dation, we may infer from its plan, and from the details of the sculpture, that the St. Sophia of
Thessalonica is contemporary with that of Constantinople, and certainly of the school of Anthemius,
the celebrated architect and engineer who accompanied Justinian in all his expeditions.
When we find in Byzantine authors so many and such interesting details about tlie
church of St. Demetrius, we are surprised to find that the cathedral of Thessalonica is
mentioned in their recitals only incidentally. Procopius, who has written six books upon
the edifices constructed by Justinian, does not even mention the church of Thessalonica, but
it may be remembered that Justinian lived ten years after the book on his buildings was
finished. Procopius finished his book about the year 555 ; Justinian died A.D. 565.1 This explains
why the erection of the castle and aqueduct of Trebizond, also the work of Justinian,2 is not
mentioned by Procopius.
This church, though it held the first rank in the town, is but little mentioned by historians.
If we except the documents given by Eustathius and Coineniata, in other authors we find only a
few short sentences relating to it. Eor instance : in the letter of the Roman pontiff, Innocent III.,
bishop of Neopatras,3 in which there is mention made of the canons of Thessalonica ; it is
mentioned a second time in the same letters4 to which allusion has been made in the history
of St. Demetrius; and also in the narrative of the taking of Thessalonica by the Turks in the
year 1430.5
During the time that the Normans were masters of the town, the priests of St. Sophia’s
one day summoned the faithful to prayer by striking redoubled blows upon the semantron
placed in the tower, and the Normans mistook this noise for the signal of revolt.
Tradition, whether it be that of the Greek clergy of Thessalonica, or that of the authors who
have described this church, is unanimous in attributing the erection of St. Sophia’s to Justinian;
and the accordance that exists between this church and that of Constantinople goes far to
confirm this opinion.
Pococke6 remarks the resemblance of this church to-that of St. Sophia at Constantinople,
which was the prototype of all churches with the same dedication in the Greek empire.
He makes the following observations about it:—
“Another mosque was the church of St. Sophia, built something on the model of
St. Sophia’s at Constantinople, having a cupola adorned with beautiful mosaic-work : there are
some fine verde antique pillars in the church and portico, and in the church there is a verde
antique throne or pulpit, with two or three steps up to it, the whole being of one piece of
marble.”
Paul Lucas says on the same subject:7—
“I also visited the mosque which is still called St. Sophia; it is very beautiful and
also of great extent. The bell-tower is still in existence; it is built of ashlar and brickwork,
like the rest of the building.”
Eustathius in his Norman narrative 8 mentions this tower in the following passage:—
“ A few days after, before the celebration of the eve of the feast, the choristers mounted
to the summit of our Catholic church, to give, according to custom, the signal by striking
the plank .... and when they had given the signal for the feast by striking the plank
in a startling manner, soon the barbarians, &c.”
1 See Asie-mineure, p. 88. 8vo. 4 Letter xv. 86. 5 John Anagnosta, cli. xx.
2 According to an ancient inscription still extant at Trebi- B Description of the East, vol. in. p. 215.
zoncl. 7 Voyage, vol. i. p. 204. Amsterdam, 1720.
Letters of Innocent, xm. 13. 8 Cb. cxxii. pp. 301—350.
THESSALONICA.
THE CHURCH OE ST. SOPHIA.
The idea of consecrating a church to the Divine Wisdom does not appear to have been
realized before the reign of Justinian; but after the 6th century all the large towns of the
empire emulated the example of the capital, and churches with this dedication were every-
where erected.
Several churches dedicated to St. Sophia still exist, and amongst the number the cathedral
of Thessalonica, on account of its good state of preservation and its fine constructions deserves
to be classed in the first rank. In default of historical information about the date of its foun-
dation, we may infer from its plan, and from the details of the sculpture, that the St. Sophia of
Thessalonica is contemporary with that of Constantinople, and certainly of the school of Anthemius,
the celebrated architect and engineer who accompanied Justinian in all his expeditions.
When we find in Byzantine authors so many and such interesting details about tlie
church of St. Demetrius, we are surprised to find that the cathedral of Thessalonica is
mentioned in their recitals only incidentally. Procopius, who has written six books upon
the edifices constructed by Justinian, does not even mention the church of Thessalonica, but
it may be remembered that Justinian lived ten years after the book on his buildings was
finished. Procopius finished his book about the year 555 ; Justinian died A.D. 565.1 This explains
why the erection of the castle and aqueduct of Trebizond, also the work of Justinian,2 is not
mentioned by Procopius.
This church, though it held the first rank in the town, is but little mentioned by historians.
If we except the documents given by Eustathius and Coineniata, in other authors we find only a
few short sentences relating to it. Eor instance : in the letter of the Roman pontiff, Innocent III.,
bishop of Neopatras,3 in which there is mention made of the canons of Thessalonica ; it is
mentioned a second time in the same letters4 to which allusion has been made in the history
of St. Demetrius; and also in the narrative of the taking of Thessalonica by the Turks in the
year 1430.5
During the time that the Normans were masters of the town, the priests of St. Sophia’s
one day summoned the faithful to prayer by striking redoubled blows upon the semantron
placed in the tower, and the Normans mistook this noise for the signal of revolt.
Tradition, whether it be that of the Greek clergy of Thessalonica, or that of the authors who
have described this church, is unanimous in attributing the erection of St. Sophia’s to Justinian;
and the accordance that exists between this church and that of Constantinople goes far to
confirm this opinion.
Pococke6 remarks the resemblance of this church to-that of St. Sophia at Constantinople,
which was the prototype of all churches with the same dedication in the Greek empire.
He makes the following observations about it:—
“Another mosque was the church of St. Sophia, built something on the model of
St. Sophia’s at Constantinople, having a cupola adorned with beautiful mosaic-work : there are
some fine verde antique pillars in the church and portico, and in the church there is a verde
antique throne or pulpit, with two or three steps up to it, the whole being of one piece of
marble.”
Paul Lucas says on the same subject:7—
“I also visited the mosque which is still called St. Sophia; it is very beautiful and
also of great extent. The bell-tower is still in existence; it is built of ashlar and brickwork,
like the rest of the building.”
Eustathius in his Norman narrative 8 mentions this tower in the following passage:—
“ A few days after, before the celebration of the eve of the feast, the choristers mounted
to the summit of our Catholic church, to give, according to custom, the signal by striking
the plank .... and when they had given the signal for the feast by striking the plank
in a startling manner, soon the barbarians, &c.”
1 See Asie-mineure, p. 88. 8vo. 4 Letter xv. 86. 5 John Anagnosta, cli. xx.
2 According to an ancient inscription still extant at Trebi- B Description of the East, vol. in. p. 215.
zoncl. 7 Voyage, vol. i. p. 204. Amsterdam, 1720.
Letters of Innocent, xm. 13. 8 Cb. cxxii. pp. 301—350.