In the fifth century this monastery was thrown down by Julian the
Apostate. Theodosius the Great built it up again in gratitude for the
miraculous escape of his son Arcadius, who having fallen overboard from
his galley in the Archipelago, was landed safely on this spot through
the intercession of the Virgin, to whose special honour the great church
was founded: fourteen other chapels within the walls attest the piety of
other individuals. In the year 862 the Saracens landed, destroyed the
monastery by fire, slew many of the monks, took the treasures and broke
the mosaics; but the representation of the Blessed Virgin was
indestructible, and still remained safe and perfect above the altar.
There was also a well under the altar, into which some of the relics
were thrown and afterwards recovered by the community.

About the year 1300 St. Athanasius the Patriarch persuaded Nicholaus and
Antonius, certain rich men of Adrianople, to restore the monastery once
more, which they did, and taking the vows became monks, and were buried
in the narthex or portico of the church. I may here observe that this
was the nearest approach to being buried within the church that was
permitted in the early times of Christianity, and such is still the rule
observed in the Greek Church: altars were, however, raised over the
tombs or places of execution of martyrs.

This church contains a great many ancient pictures of small size, most
of them having the background overlaid with plates of silver-gilt: two
of these are said to be portraits of the Empress Theodora. Two other
pictures of larger size and richly set with jewels are interesting as
having been brought from the church of St. Sophia at Constantinople,
when that city fell a prey to the Turkish arms. Over the doors of the
church and of the great refectory there are mosaics representing, if I
remember rightly, saints and holy persons. One of the chapels, a
separate building with a dome which had been newly repaired, is
dedicated to the "Preservation of the Girdle of the Blessed Virgin," a
relic which must be a source of considerable revenue to the monastery,
for they have divided it into two parts, and one half is sent into
Greece and the other half into Asia Minor whenever the plague is raging
in those countries, and all those who are afflicted with that terrible
disease are sure to be cured if they touch it, which they are allowed to
do "_for a consideration_." On my inquiring how the mon