s, which was to replace S. Sophia as the cathedral of the
Greek Communion.[399] It was certainly fortunate for the Orthodox Church
at that cruel moment in its history to find in one of the cells of the
Pantokrator a man able to win the goodwill of the Empire's conqueror.
When nothing could save the State, Gennadius saved the nation's Church,
and with the Church many forms of national life. Muralt, looking at
these transactions from another standpoint, says, 'C'est ainsi que les
Grecs virent accompli leur voeu d'etre delivres de l'union avec les
Latins.'[400]

[Illustration: PLATE LXV.
S. SAVIOUR PANTOKRATOR. NARTHEX OF THE NORTH CHURCH, LOOKING NORTH.]

[Illustration: S. SAVIOUR PANTOKRATOR. OUTER NARTHEX OF THE SOUTH
CHURCH, LOOKING NORTH.
_To face page 232._]

It would appear that the Pantokrator was abandoned by its Christian
owners very soon after the conquest. The great decrease of the Greek
population that followed the downfall of the city left several quarters
of Constantinople with few if any Christian inhabitants, and so brought
to an end the native religious service in many churches of the capital.
For some time thereafter the deserted building was used by fullers and
workers in leather as a workshop and dwelling.[401] But the edifice was
too grand to be allowed to suffer permanent degradation, and some twenty
years later it was consecrated to Moslem worship by a certain Zeirek
Mehemed Effendi.[402] Its actual name, Zeirek Kilissi Jamissi, recalls
the double service the building has rendered, and the person who
diverted it from its earlier to its later use.

_Architectural Features_

As it stands the Pantokrator is a combination of three churches, placed
side by side, and communicating with one another through arched openings
in their common walls. The three buildings are not of the same date, and
opinions differ in regard to their relative age. On the whole, however,
the northern church may be safely considered the earliest structure; the
central church is somewhat later; the southern church is the latest.

[Illustration: FIG. 76.]

[Illustration: PLATE LXVI.
S. SAVIOUR PANTOKRATOR. SOUTH BAY IN THE GALLERY OF THE SOUTH CHURCH.]

[Illustration: S. SAVIOUR PANTOKRATOR. IN THE NORTH CHURCH, LOOKING
SOUTH.
_To face page 234._]

_The Northern Church._--This is a simple and dignified building of the
domed 'four column' type, with a gynaeceum above the narthex. The
narthex is in