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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



everything combined with half-pagan su- 

 perstition and genuine piety to aid as far 

 as they could. We speak of the Sancta 

 Sophia of Justinian. It is fitting that the 

 great fabric should be peculiarly illus- 

 trative of his fame ; but it is rather the 

 outcome and creation of a people in its 

 most gilded age. It is rather the burst 

 of a century's enthusiasm than the slow 

 construction of imperial power. In the 

 edifice centered then, as has centered ever 

 since, the whole heart of the Byzantine 

 Empire. 



Contributions poured in from Europe, 

 Asia, and Africa, even from remotest 

 provinces. The rich gave of their abun- 

 dance. More than one poor widow cast 

 in all that she had. Imperial, national, 

 and private treasures were lavished like 

 water, as the work progressed. When 

 earthly resources failed, it was thought 

 that celestial aid was afforded. An angel, 

 disguised as a donkey-boy — a form in 

 which angels are seldom met — was re- 

 ported to have led a string of mules to 

 secret vaults and to have brought them 

 back with their baskets laden with gold. 

 Justinian, a laborer's tools in his hands, 

 toiled with the workmen. The angelic 

 assistants were as tireless as he. At night, 

 when all were asleep but the watchmen, 

 the walls continued to grow by invisible 

 hands. 



MIRACUI.OUS INTERPOSITIONS 



Once, when the men were taking their 

 noonday rest, a man in white raiment 

 suddenly appeared to the boy who 

 watched their tools and told him to hurry 

 the men back to their work. The boy 

 hesitating to leave his post, the stranger 

 said, "I will stay here till you come 

 back." The boy went on his errand, but 

 before he returned the story was told the 

 Emperor. He declared the man in white 

 to be an angel. He gave the boy much 

 money and dispatched him at once to a 

 distant province of the Empire, binding 

 him under most solemn oaths never to 

 return. The humble classes believe that 

 somewhere around Sancta Sophia the 

 outwitted angel is waiting for that boy. 



It was believed that celestial music 

 cheered the workmen whenever they 

 grew weary. An auspicious dream never 

 failed the Emperor when in doubt as to 



some perplexing question of detail; thus 

 when the architects could not agree as to 

 the shape of the apse, an angel in a vision 

 showed the Emperor that it must be 

 triple — its present form — in acknowledg- 

 ment of the Holy Trinity. The many 

 legends, still affectionately cherished and 

 repeated, "prove," as says Bayet, "how 

 this gigantic enterprise wrought itself 

 into the popular imagination." 



"soi^OMON, I have; conquered thee!" 



The church was ready for consecra- 

 tion on December 24, 537. The grand 

 procession started from the Church of 

 Saint Anastasia and wound its solemn 

 way by the Hippodrome and the Great 

 Palace, through the Augustseum, to the 

 southern door of the inner narthex. 

 There Justinian removed his crown — 

 never so gladly laid aside as then — and 

 placed it in the hands of the Patriarch 

 Menas. Then alone he passed through 

 the central door, and alone advanced as 

 far as the anibon, or pulpit. From a soul 

 full of the completed magnificence and 

 of bursting gratitude he uttered the ex- 

 clamation which will be remembered as 

 long as Sancta Sophia endures, and so 

 loud that they who had not crossed the 

 threshold heard his exultant accents — 

 "Glory to God, who has deemed me 

 worthy to accomplish such an undertak- 

 ing ! Solomon, I have conquered thee !" 

 2o.\o|U,ov vevLKTjfrd ae. As he Spoke he was 

 standing beside a great mosaic wherein 

 Solomon was represented looking round 

 in speechless, wondering admiration. 



That day the entire population of the 

 metropolis feasted as guests of the Em- 

 peror. Moreover, 30,000 measures of 

 wheat and several hundredweight of gold 

 were distributed among the poor. On 

 Christmas morning the church was 

 thrown open to public worship. The 

 thanksgiving and rejoicings continued 

 through 14 days. 



In the marvelously brief space of less 

 than six years the entire fabric had arisen 

 from its ashes and stood forth majestic 

 and complete. Such rapid achievement 

 would have been impossible had not the 

 pious enthusiasm of the nation equaled 

 that of its Emperor. Saint Peter's at 

 Rome required 120 years for building; 

 Saint Paul's in Eondon, 35 years ; Notre 



