The Chora
The Chora Church is situated inside the walls of Constantinople, with its name originally referring to its location being outside the walls in the 'countryside'. The building has been rebuilt three times, with the most recent occuring in the reign of Emperor Andronicus II (1282-1328) and it was during this restoration that most of the mosaics and frescoes were added. The Chora stood as a church building until 1511 when it was converted to a mosque by Hadim Ali Phasha, the grand vizier of Sultan Bayezid II (1481-1512), but he left the mosaics untouched. In 1945 the Chora was converted to a museum and another programme of restoration of the mosaics and fresoes was undertaken.
One of the most notable things about the mosaics in the Chora is the tremendous number that are dedicated to the
Virgin Mary and her life, which was extremely unusual in the Christian Church of the day.
This dome shows the Virgin and the Child Jesus in the medallion. Arranged around it are Jesus'
ancestors; 16 king-apostle figures from David to Salathiel.
The story of the Virgin Mary starts here. Beneath the dome in the bottom right panel,
Chief Priest Zacchariah is seen telling Joachim, Mary's father, that he cannot have another child
after the virgin Mary. In the top left, Joachim is shown sitting alone in the bushes in the desert.
In the bottom arch of the left photo, the birth of the Virgin Mary is shown and in the top panel the Virgin is given
affection by Joachim and Anne - her mother. The panel at the right edge shows Mary taking her first seven steps.
The right hand photograph shows in the top panel Mary being presented to the Temple by the High Priest and on the far left
Mary is seated on a throne, receiving bread from an angel. The mosaics on the next side of the arch are largely destroyed.
As an aside in the centre of the right hand photo in the arch beneath Mary, Jesus is shown with Theodore Metochites.
Theodore was responsible for most of the construction of the frescoes and mosaics and is seen presenting a model of the
church to Jesus.
The very left hand edge panel here shows Zaccharian in front of the
twelve sticks with The Virgin, now grown up, who is choosing her
husband. Joseph won because his stick was the one with the young
shoots. Staying with the left photo, in the arch the Virgin is being
given to Joseph with all his rivals shown behind him and in
the panel to the right Joseph is taking Mary home.
The top arched panel of the left photo shows two priests and Joachim, who is presenting the
Child Mary to the Temple to be blessed - I suspect this panel follows Mary taking her first
seven steps chronologically.
The arch in the right hand photograph shows Joseph bidding farewell to Mary. Perhaps the destroyed
mosaic on the left originally showed his return a short while later...
In the panel beneath the dome, the Virgin is receiving the news of her pregnancy from an angel.
Behind the Virgin is a house and St. Anne is seen in it praying to God. Moving over to the vertical arch,
St. Anne is telling the news to Joachim.
Here Mary & Joseph make the trek to Bethlehem to enrol for the taxation.
Mary is shown on the traditional donkey.
On the left of this image, in the dark corner, the three Magi are informing King Herod that a child
has been born and that he will lead the Israel nation. You can just make out the circular representation
of the star they were following! And over on the right, King Herod is seen ordering a search.
The bottom arched panel in this photo shows The Birth of the Baby Jesus. In the middle Mary is resting and above her a light is
shining down from the sky over the swaddling wrapped Baby Jesus.
The left hand edge panel shows St. Andronicus
This mosaic above the window shows on the left an angel coming to Joseph whilst he is asleep with the news
of King Herods death. In the centre Joseph, Mary and Jesus flee to Nazereth.
And what seems to be the last photo I have of a mosaic dedicated to Mary.... the end of the Virgin's life.
Its situated in the nave of the building above the entrace door. Mary is lying on a catafalque and on both sides
apostles, clerics and women from Jerusalem encircle her. Jesus is at her side and he holds a baby which
symbolically represents the soul of the Virgin Mary.
'The Khalike Jesus' Mosaic. On the right side, Jesus is portrayed from the front whilst on the left,
the Virgin is shown praying to God. What is most unusual about this image is that the Virgin is shown at
virtually the same size as Christ. To the left of the virgin, Prince Isaacios Comnenos is popping up from
her skirts. Its such a shame this mosaic is so damaged - it must have been quite spectacular.
This portrait of Jesus Pantocrator is situated over the doorway leading to the inner sanctum.
Around the portrait there is an inscription "Jesus Christ and the Land of the Living"
This is a piece of the dome which shows Jesus and his regligious and noble ancestors.
Beneath the dome is a triangular panel where a woman who has been bleeding for some years is healed
immediately afer touching the garments of Jesus. On the bottom right Jusus is healing a man's sick arm.
Down in the bottom left of the photo you can just see the head of 'The Khalike Jesus' mosaic peeping up ...
This rectangular ceiling depicts scenes from Jesus' life. He is variously shown in the Temple
with the doctors (top left), being shown by John the Baptist to the people behind him on the shores
(bottom left) and being tempted by Satan down the right hand side.
In the photo below, Jesus is healing sick people with various diseases. He is surrounded by his apostles
and a group of onlookers.
Located on the north-east side of the dome, the mother-in-law of St Peter is sitting on a bed whilst Jesus
holds her arm and heals her.
This is St. Peter on the left portayed with a
scrap of paper in his right hand, while holding the keys to Heaven in the other. On the right St. Paul has the gospel in his hand.
On the left, a marble panel shows Jesus in a standing positon holding the Holy Book. On the right Mary is shown with Jesus in her arms. These mosaics are located on either side of the entrance to the apse and as with the other images in the museum, Mary and Jesus are shown with equal standing