Hagia Sophia: The Center of Greek Orthodox Faith Through the Ages
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Hagia Sophia, the Byzantine cathedral which served as the seat of Eastern Christianity for nearly one thousand years, is now a mosque. Credit: Greek Reporter
Hagia Sophia in Istanbul remains the symbolic center of the Greek Orthodox faith, even almost six centuries after its fall to the Ottomans and its conversion to a mosque.
From 537 to 1453, the “Great Church” – as the Byzantines called it – was the eastern heart of Christianity.
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The massive temple held a total of 23,000 worshipers, and 525 priests, deacons and chanters served its liturgies.
However, the significance of Hagia Sophia (“Holy Wisdom” in English) was assuredly not just because of its imposing size.