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Long-lost Mosaic Seraphim Uncovered at Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia
BlackCordelias ^ | July 24, 2009

Posted on 07/25/2009 3:41:57 PM PDT by NYer

Note: Below image is the Archangel Gabriel, not one of the newly uncovered images.

Gabriel

Official: Long-lost mosaic seraphim uncovered at Istanbul’s Haghia Sophia

SUZAN FRASER, Star Tribune

ANKARA, Turkey – Restoration workers have uncovered a well-preserved, long-hidden mosaic face of an angel at the former Byzantine cathedral of Haghia Sophia in Istanbul, an official said Friday.

The seraphim figure — one of two located on the side of a dome — had been covered up along with the building’s other Christian mosaics shortly after Constantinople — the former name for Istanbul — fell to the Ottomans in 1453 and the cathedral was turned into a mosque.

The mosaics were plastered over according to Muslim custom that prohibits the representation of humans.

Some of the mosaics were revealed when the domed complex was turned into a museum in 1935, but the seraphim had largely remained covered, Ahmet Emre Bilgili, who heads culture and tourism affairs in Istanbul, told The Associated Press.

Two Swiss architects saw the two seraphim during restoration work ordered by the Sultan in the mid-19th century but the figures were covered up again, Bilgili said.

“It is the first time that the angel is being revealed,” he said, adding that the figure had been covered with metal and plaster. “It is very well preserved.”

Experts would now work to uncover the second seraphim, which was also plastered over and covered by metal, Bilgili said.

The newly uncovered image was hidden behind scaffolding and is not currently visible to visitors.

Haghia Sophia, also called the Church of Holy Wisdom, was built in 537 B.C. and remained a symbol of Byzantine grandeur until Istanbul was conquered by Muslim armies.

The structure was then turned into a mosque — minarets were added and crosses and other Christian symbols were defaced. It became one of the most renowned mosques of the expanding Ottoman Empire.

The site was later converted to a museum under the secular reforms of modern Turkey’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, attracting thousands of visitors each year.

President Barack Obama toured Haghia Sophia when he visited Turkey in April, as did former U.S. President Bill Clinton in 1999. Pope Benedict XVI also strolled the site in 2006 of his pilgrimage of landmarks of Christianity’s ancient roots in Turkey.



TOPICS: Current Events; History; Worship
KEYWORDS: angel; catholic; godsgravesglyphs; haghiasophia; hagiasophia
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1 posted on 07/25/2009 3:41:57 PM PDT by NYer
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To: Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; nickcarraway; Romulus; ...

Catholic / Orthodox ping!


2 posted on 07/25/2009 3:42:47 PM PDT by NYer ("One Who Prays Is Not Afraid; One Who Prays Is Never Alone"- Benedict XVI)
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To: NYer

it was under Obama’s birth certificate


3 posted on 07/25/2009 3:45:48 PM PDT by Doogle (USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
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To: NYer

“Haghia Sophia, also called the Church of Holy Wisdom, was built in 537 B.C.”

Its amazing how ignorant editors are today.


4 posted on 07/25/2009 3:54:38 PM PDT by blackminorca
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To: SunkenCiv

Ping


5 posted on 07/25/2009 3:59:01 PM PDT by Hegemony Cricket (The emperor has no pedigree.)
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To: NYer; Yudan; crazykatz; JosephW; lambo; MoJoWork_n; newberger; The_Reader_David; jb6; ...

Orthodox ping


6 posted on 07/25/2009 4:07:27 PM PDT by Kolokotronis (Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!)
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To: NYer

If only the Turks would let more mosaics be uncovered. This one looks gorgeous!


7 posted on 07/25/2009 4:10:37 PM PDT by Shadow44
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To: blackminorca

They were only off by a little over 1,000 years, give ‘em a break :)


8 posted on 07/25/2009 4:13:31 PM PDT by djsherin (Government is essentially the negation of liberty.)
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To: Shadow44

That is not the one they uncovered! Gezz.


9 posted on 07/25/2009 4:37:58 PM PDT by PIF
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To: NYer
Why are they calling angels seraphim's? They are two different creations.
10 posted on 07/25/2009 4:49:05 PM PDT by guitarplayer1953 (Warning: Some words may be misspelled/ You will get over it / Klingon is my 1st language)
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To: Shadow44

We need to take back Constantinople and turn the Hagia Sophia back into a cathedral!


11 posted on 07/25/2009 5:05:06 PM PDT by WMarshal (Where is the next Sam Adams?)
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To: guitarplayer1953

Seraphims are a class of angel.


12 posted on 07/25/2009 5:12:08 PM PDT by AceMineral (Offically unapproved of since 1973)
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To: Hegemony Cricket; StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; ...

· join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic ·

 
Gods
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Thanks Hegemony Cricket.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.
GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
 

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13 posted on 07/25/2009 5:12:31 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/__Since Jan 3, 2004__Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
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To: AceMineral
But the angel that is shown is not a seraphim’s
14 posted on 07/25/2009 5:27:59 PM PDT by guitarplayer1953 (Warning: Some words may be misspelled/ You will get over it / Klingon is my 1st language)
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To: blackminorca

BC? AD? What’s the difference to today’s uneducated, liberal news pukes?


15 posted on 07/25/2009 5:30:13 PM PDT by 353FMG (Death is Life without Freedom.)
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To: blackminorca

“was built in 537 B.C.”

That’s how smart Byzantines were. They were Christians 500 years before Christ was even born.


16 posted on 07/25/2009 5:48:13 PM PDT by Tublecane
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To: guitarplayer1953

Seraphims are said to have six wings. Two to cover their privates and feet. Two to cover their face. Two to fly with. I have yet to hear why these angels have sex organs in the first place. However, you are correct. The depiction does not look like a seraphim, at least in the classic definition. I find it hard to tell exactly what it is.


17 posted on 07/25/2009 7:12:57 PM PDT by AceMineral (Offically unapproved of since 1973)
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To: AceMineral

Didb’t the caption say that it was Gabriel?


18 posted on 07/25/2009 7:30:53 PM PDT by Mmogamer (<This space for lease>)
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To: Mmogamer

“Didn’t the caption say that it was Gabriel?”

Yes. Some people aren’t paying attention.


19 posted on 07/26/2009 7:07:37 AM PDT by flaglady47 (Oh what wicked webs he weaves, as Obama knows he must deceive)
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To: AceMineral; guitarplayer1953
Minor quibble, um, seraphim is the plural. A single angel of that level is a seraph.

And as somebody else noted - Gabriel isn't a seraph. Oh, dear.

20 posted on 07/26/2009 1:37:08 PM PDT by Desdemona (True Christianity requires open hearts and open minds - not blind hatred.)
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