NIKOU Chiladakis
Author-journalist-Turkology
From the first moment that Constantinople fell to the Ottomans and Muhammad Fatih eisirthe riding the white horse of the Hagia Sophia, (where for some time, according to Turkish sources, remained motionless, looking with rapture the Pantocrator in the dome while impressive Capture scene and a Turkish film history), the great temple of Orthodoxy became the focus of various myths and legends circulated among the occupiers, causing an intense awe of this masterpiece of Orthodoxy now had surrounded the four Ottoman minarets .
In recent years, however, some events focusing Hagia Sophia and culminating in an unexpected appearance in the summer of 2008 by Angelo in the dome, the Turks have created an intense atmosphere of distrust and fear of things to come. Resurfaced alongside all those legends that occasionally had shocked and had caused Muslims a typical phobia re emergence of orthodox Christian identity of the church and cosmogonic implications of this shocking event, despite the fact that operated until 1934 as a Muslim mosque.
So last January, (01/20/2012), the large circulation Turkish newspaper, Sabah, presented a truly amazing tribute to the "Mysteries of the Holy Wisdom», (Ayasofya 'nın gizlemleri), which is reflected in a lively way that climate phobia paid their last Turks for what are hidden within the church and what promise to happen in the coming years.
The first important element of this tribute is a slight phobia distinguished by the Turks to the hidden crosses, symbolic and otherwise, which are inside the church, but the floor plan as one can distinguish it from above. So much awe observed for the so-called (as the report attributes the Turks), "Cross of Saint Andrew the Apostle," who is known as the founder of the Church of Constantinople. So, according to Sabah, on the roof of the church is the Cross of St. Andrew in diagonal form, an important symbol not only lost in the centuries of Ottoman occupation, but dominates the whole symbolic significance. Also the "Cross of Justinian 'scares Turks and legends mention an ancient relic that is secret from Hagia Sophia and even from Egypt and has tremendous power. Generally, the structure of this great architectural masterpiece Orthodox, according to Turkish sources themselves, based on the Christian symbol of the Cross and this inspires awe and a subtle fear of the future restoration of Hagia Sophia in natural holder, ie Orthodox worship.
But besides the crosses, and the Turks say other mysteries and scary for them to exist within the church. So, says the legend, it is known that after the conversion of the church into a mosque built in known Mihrab (Muslim place of prayer), which appeared on the eastern side of the church in the direction of Mecca. But the interesting thing is that according to the Turkish legends in front of the mihrab is buried a coffin made of gilt bronze. In this coffin lies the remains of Queen Sophia (obviously is identification with the Holy Wisdom). This queen Sophia and her coffin is, according to the Turkish legends, with a "mandate" that has passed through the centuries until today. This command indicates that there is no need to touch this casket or even touch it. If this happens, then, according to legend, this will cause the "uprising" of Queen Sophia and then a terrifying noise would jerk the whole structure of the temple causing seismic eschatological events that scare the Turks.
But the legend of Queen Sophia has continuous. Thus, according to Turkish reports, the coffin is protected four archangels who are above the Dome of the church. The archangels are, they say they believe the Turks are Tzemprail, Michael, Israfil and Azrail. In fitting with the Turks, Tzemprail protects the Byzantine emperors, Michael the church from enemy attacks while Tzemprail and Israfil were the messengers of the events of the war in the Byzantine emperors. And these four archangels have regularly after the fall of Constantinople to protect the coffin of Queen Sophia of risk profane someone to open it and to bring about the Second Coming.
Another important myth that Muslims say is the legend of the "Hidden Patriarch" resembling the Greek legend of the hidden priest. As the Turkish tradition, in the southern part of the temple there is a narrow corridor that leads to a very old and very mysterious arachniasmeni gate for which the legend mentions it as the "Gate Closed". According to Turkish reports, when Muhammad entered the Fatih in Istanbul Greek Orthodox Patriarch, the latter together with the attendants had assumed in this liturgy. Once the Ottoman hordes invaded the church, the Patriarch and all his entourage entered into the gate that closed and then lost while the gate was sealed and no one ever dared to open. Every year at Resurrection Orthodox Christians in front of the gate, as the Sabah state characteristics are shown .... red eggs! The legend is complemented by the prophecy that scares the Turks, that when the gate is opened, the temple will be heard again Christian Greek Orthodox chants so scared and alone in the idea of opening this mysterious portal.
The Turkish newspaper reports and the mystery of the underground tunnel that is centrally located inside the temple. As mentioned, this point there is a passage that leads to a large tunnel. In this tunnel, as the Turkish newspaper, leads to the Princes' Islands and even to the island first. The mystery of the Turks is how this tunnel was constructed and what role he played in the long history of the church.
Mystery of the Turks is the large footprint of a large animal foot, maybe elephant is on the southwest side of the dome while here and have become some eschatological stories. Under the Turks the impression this is the horse of Mohammed the Conqueror, but the question is how the horse stepped on at this point that is up toward the dome.
Large awe creates the Turks, as the Sabah and various mosaics that have emerged with all the magnificence of the past decades in the church of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, despite the fact that the Muslim religion considers sin as the representation of a person associated with religious events. Special awe their causes known mosaic depicting the Virgin Mary having Jesus and John the Baptist on the right and left. The Turks have called the features "Mosaic Revelation" and the symbolism makes the eschatological significance is strong among Muslim Turks.
Also special mention is made for mosaics depicting famous Byzantine emperors, as John Comnenus with Jesus Christ and Emperor Constantine duel with the Empress Zoe. All these depictions cause intense awe as this whole orthodox Christian magnificence and inner strength that manifest these mosaics have spawned several legends about the eschatological symbolism. The symbols are related to the Turkish fears about returning to the surface and the power of the Holy Eastern Roman Empire with the blessing of Jesus Christ himself.
