that
characterised the eleventh century in Constantinople. Probably the
church was then dedicated to the Saviour, like the three other Comnenian
churches in the city, the Pantepoptes, the Pantokrator, and S. Thekla.

The mother-in-law of Alexius I. was, however, not alone in her interest
in the Chora. Her devotion to the monastery was shared also by her
grandson the sebastocrator Isaac. Tall, handsome, brave, but ambitious
and wayward, Isaac was gifted with the artistic temperament, as his
splendid manuscript of the first eight books of the Old Testament,
embellished with miniatures by his own hand, makes clear.[525] If the
inscription on the mosaic representing the Deesis found in the inner
narthex really refers to him, it proves that his influence was felt in
the decoration of the building.[526] He certainly erected a magnificent
mausoleum for himself in the church. Later in his life, indeed, he
became interested in the restoration of the monastery of Theotokos
Kosmosoteira at Viros, and ordered that mausoleum to be dismantled, and
the marbles, bronze railing, and portraits of his parents which adorned
it to be transported to Viros; but he still allowed his own portrait
'made in the days of his youthful vanity' to remain in the Chora.[527]

NOTE

Uspenski has identified Viros with Ferejik, a village situated 30
kilometres from Dedeagatch, and 20-25 kilometres from Enos, 'aux
embouchures desertees et marecageuses de la Maritza.'

The church is now the mosque of the village. It has five domes and
three apses. The central apse is pierced by a modern door. The
exonarthex has disappeared and the old principal entrance is walled
up. The plan of the church is almost identical with the plan of the
Chora. While the architectural details are poor and indicate haste,
the dimensions of the building imply considerable expense and the
wealth of the restorer. There are traces of painting on the walls of
the interior, especially in the domes (the Virgin) and in the two
lateral apses. An epitaph of seven lines in the middle of the mosque
contains the title 'despotes.' According to Uspenski, the
sebastocrator died soon after 1182, the year during which he was
engaged on the Typicon of the monastery at Viros. The monastery was
visited by the Emperor Andronicus Comnenus in 1185, by Isaac Angelus
in 1195, and by Villehardouin in 1205. Early in the fourteenth century
it was converted into a fort