As the seat of the chief prelate of Eastern Christendom, Constantinople
was characterized by a strong theological and ecclesiastical
temperament. It was full of churches and monasteries, enriched with the
reputed relics of saints, prophets and martyrs, which consecrated it a
holy city and attracted pilgrims from every quarter to its shrines. It
was the meeting-place of numerous ecclesiastical councils, some of them
ecumenical (see below, Constantinople, Councils of). It was likewise
distinguished for its numerous charitable institutions. Only some twenty
of the old churches of the city are left. Most of them have been
converted into mosques, but they are valuable monuments of the art which
flourished in New Rome. Among the most interesting are the following. St
John of the Studium (Emir-Achor Jamissi) is a basilica of the middle of
the 5th century, and the oldest ecclesiastical fabric in the city; it is
now, unfortunately, almost a complete ruin. SS. Sergius and Bacchus
(Kutchuk Aya Sofia) and St Sophia are erections of Justinian the Great.
The former is an example of a dome placed on an octagonal structure, and
in its general plan is similar to the contemporary church of S. Vitale
at Ravenna. St Sophia (i.e. [Greek: Hagia Sophia], Holy Wisdom) is the
glory of Byzantine art, and one of the most beautiful buildings in the
world. St Mary Diaconissa (Kalender Jamissi) is a fine specimen of the
work of the closing years of the 6th century. St Irene, founded by
Constantine, and repaired by Justinian, is in its present form mainly a
restoration by Leo the Isaurian, in the middle of the 8th century. St
Mary Panachrantos (Fenari Isa Mesjidi) belongs to the reign of Leo the
Wise (886-912). The Myrelaion (Bodrum Jami) dates from the 10th century.
The Pantepoptes (Eski Imaret Jamissi), the Pantocrator (Zeirek Kilisse
Jamissi), and the body of the church of the Chora (Kahriyeh Jamissi)
represent the age of the Comneni. The Pammacaristos (Fetiyeh Jamissi),
St Andrew in Krisei (Khoja Mustapha Jamissi), the narthexes and side
chapel of the Chora were, at least in their present form, erected in the
times of the Palaeologi. It is difficult to assign precise dates to SS.
Peter and Mark (Khoda Mustapha Jamissi at Aivan Scrai), St Theodosia
(Gul Jamissi), St Theodore Tyrone (Kilisse Jamissi). The beautiful
facade of the last is later than the other portions of the church, which
have been assigned to the 9th or 10th century.

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