Church of Saint Menas of Samatya
Encyclopedia
Saint Menas is a Greek Orthodox Church
in Istanbul
.
The edifice was built in 1833 near an early Christian
Martyrion
of the fourth or fifth century, possibly dedicated to the saints Carpus and Papylus
(Greek
: Μονὴ τῶν ἁγιων Κάρπου κάι Παπὺλου – pr. Mone ton Ághion Kárpu kai Papílu ), and on the site of an ancient church dedicated to Hagios Polykarpos
.
The modern church has the same dedication
as a nearby water source
.
, in the district of Fatih
, in the neighbourhood of Kocamustafapaşa (historically Samatya
), on Bestekar Hakkı Sokak. It lies inside the walled
city, in an elevated position a short distance from the shore of the Sea of Marmara
. The building is protected by a high wall.
The Martyrion is located under the church, on İmrahor İlyasbey Caddesi, and currently houses an iron workshop and a car wash shop. It is in a dilapidated state. Opposite to the Martyrion there is a water source also dedicated to Saint Menas
.
, in the fourth century Empress Helena, mother of Constantine I
, authorized construction of a martyrion and a monastery dedicated to the Saints Karpos and Papylos at the foot of the steep southwestern face of the Xeropholos (part of the seventh hill of Constantinople
and at that time, before the construction of the Theodosian Wall, still outside the walls of the city). Karpos and Papylos had been martyred together with the Saints Agathodorus and Agathonice in Pergamon
under Decius
in 251. The edifice was said to have the same plan as the one erected on the sepulcher of Christ
in Jerusalem, and to be adorned with marble. Although the Helena's involvement is far from certain, and her endowment can be surely excluded, the presence of several martyria in the area is attested. Moreover, the extant round structure under the modern church stems from the fourth or fifth century and has the typical form of a martyrion. A nunnery was built here at a later date during the Byzantine Age
, but at any case before the tenth century. Indeed, at that time and at least until the twelfth century there are attestations to the existence of a female monastery dedicated to the Saints Karpos and Papylos in the vicinity of the Helenianai Palace.
Conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the complex remained under Greek control.
The are references in 1604 to the existence of a domed church dedicated to Saint Polykarpos
, and of an Ayazma dedicated to Saint Menas
. This church was destroyed in the great fire of Samatya of 1782, and rebuilt in 1833 by architect Konstantis Yolasığmazis, with money collected through an offertory of the local Mahalle
assembly with the consent of Sultan
Mahmud II
(r. 1808–1839). The new church was dedicated to Saint Menas, like the near Ayazma. In 1878/9 four ancient tombs were found under the church. The building was damaged during the Istanbul Pogrom
of 6 September 1955, but since then it has been restored. It is still officiated and can be visited.
s. The pictures on the upper section of its iconostasis contain images with episodes of the life of Jesus Christ; those on the lower section, several Saints, Jesus Christ, and the Virgin Mary. On the faces of the ambon
, Christ with the Evangelists are painted. The Naos
is adorned with images of Christ Pantocrator. Nothing remains of the ancient byzantine church.
The Martyrion, which lies under the church and behind a gas station, currently houses two shops, an iron workshop and a car wash shop. It can be accessed through a modern opening obtained by enlarging an ancient window. The original structure was a rotunda
with a inner circle of columns supporting a dome. The central chamber is a room covered by a lowered dome constructed of brickwork with an height of 5.7 metres (19 ft) and a diameter of 12 metres (39.4 ft).
This room is partially encompassed by a deambulatorium 2.5 metres (8 ft) wide and 7.5 metres (25 ft) high, which has a horseshoe shape. The room gives access towards the east to a rectangular bema
. This has at its right the remains of a spiral stairs, possibly used in the past to reach the upper church, and at its left a cell
with an apse
. The Hagiasma still exists and lies opposite to the Martyrion.
Greek Orthodox Church
The Greek Orthodox Church is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity sharing a common cultural tradition whose liturgy is also traditionally conducted in Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament...
in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
.
The edifice was built in 1833 near an early Christian
Early Christian art and architecture
Early Christian art and architecture is the art produced by Christians or under Christian patronage from about the year 100 to about the year 500. Prior to 100 there is no surviving art that can be called Christian with absolute certainty...
Martyrion
Martyrium (architecture)
A martyrium is a structure built at "a site which bears witness to the Christian faith, either by referring to an event in Christ's life or Passion, or by sheltering the grave of a martyr"....
of the fourth or fifth century, possibly dedicated to the saints Carpus and Papylus
Carpus and Papylus
Saint Carpus and Papylus are venerated as Christian martyrs together with Saints Agathodorus and Agathonica . According to tradition, Carpus was a bishop of Thyateira , Papylus was a deacon, and Agathodorus was Carpus’s servant. Agathonica was Papylus’s sister...
(Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: Μονὴ τῶν ἁγιων Κάρπου κάι Παπὺλου – pr. Mone ton Ághion Kárpu kai Papílu ), and on the site of an ancient church dedicated to Hagios Polykarpos
Polycarp
Saint Polycarp was a 2nd century Christian bishop of Smyrna. According to the Martyrdom of Polycarp, he died a martyr, bound and burned at the stake, then stabbed when the fire failed to touch him...
.
The modern church has the same dedication
Saint Menas
Saint Menas , the Martyr and Wonder-worker, is one of the most well-known Egyptian saints in the East and the West, due to the many miracles that are attributed to his intercession and prayers...
as a nearby water source
Holy water in Eastern Christianity
Among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern-Rite Catholic Christians, holy water is used frequently in rites of blessing and exorcism, and the water for baptism is always sanctified with a special blessing....
.
Location
The church is located in IstanbulIstanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, in the district of Fatih
Fatih
Fatih is a municipality and district in Istanbul, Turkey that encompasses most of the peninsula coinciding with historic Constantinople. In 2009, the district of Eminönü, formerly a separate municipality located at the tip of the peninsula, was merged into Fatih...
, in the neighbourhood of Kocamustafapaşa (historically Samatya
Samatya
Samatya is a neighborhood of the Fatih district of Istanbul. It is located along the Marmara Sea, and borders to the west on the neighborhood of Yedikule . The name originates from the Greek word Ψαμάθιον Samatya is a neighborhood of the Fatih district of Istanbul. It is located along the Marmara...
), on Bestekar Hakkı Sokak. It lies inside the walled
Walls of Constantinople
The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople since its founding as the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire by Constantine the Great...
city, in an elevated position a short distance from the shore of the Sea of Marmara
Sea of Marmara
The Sea of Marmara , also known as the Sea of Marmora or the Marmara Sea, and in the context of classical antiquity as the Propontis , is the inland sea that connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, thus separating Turkey's Asian and European parts. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Black...
. The building is protected by a high wall.
The Martyrion is located under the church, on İmrahor İlyasbey Caddesi, and currently houses an iron workshop and a car wash shop. It is in a dilapidated state. Opposite to the Martyrion there is a water source also dedicated to Saint Menas
Saint Menas
Saint Menas , the Martyr and Wonder-worker, is one of the most well-known Egyptian saints in the East and the West, due to the many miracles that are attributed to his intercession and prayers...
.
Byzantine period
According to the Fathers of the ChurchChurch Fathers
The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were early and influential theologians, eminent Christian teachers and great bishops. Their scholarly works were used as a precedent for centuries to come...
, in the fourth century Empress Helena, mother of Constantine I
Constantine I
Constantine the Great , also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all...
, authorized construction of a martyrion and a monastery dedicated to the Saints Karpos and Papylos at the foot of the steep southwestern face of the Xeropholos (part of the seventh hill of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
and at that time, before the construction of the Theodosian Wall, still outside the walls of the city). Karpos and Papylos had been martyred together with the Saints Agathodorus and Agathonice in Pergamon
Pergamon
Pergamon , or Pergamum, was an ancient Greek city in modern-day Turkey, in Mysia, today located from the Aegean Sea on a promontory on the north side of the river Caicus , that became the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon during the Hellenistic period, under the Attalid dynasty, 281–133 BC...
under Decius
Decius
Trajan Decius , was Roman Emperor from 249 to 251. In the last year of his reign, he co-ruled with his son Herennius Etruscus until they were both killed in the Battle of Abrittus.-Early life and rise to power:...
in 251. The edifice was said to have the same plan as the one erected on the sepulcher of Christ
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also called the Church of the Resurrection by Eastern Christians, is a church within the walled Old City of Jerusalem. It is a few steps away from the Muristan....
in Jerusalem, and to be adorned with marble. Although the Helena's involvement is far from certain, and her endowment can be surely excluded, the presence of several martyria in the area is attested. Moreover, the extant round structure under the modern church stems from the fourth or fifth century and has the typical form of a martyrion. A nunnery was built here at a later date during the Byzantine Age
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
, but at any case before the tenth century. Indeed, at that time and at least until the twelfth century there are attestations to the existence of a female monastery dedicated to the Saints Karpos and Papylos in the vicinity of the Helenianai Palace.
Ottoman period
After the OttomanOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the complex remained under Greek control.
The are references in 1604 to the existence of a domed church dedicated to Saint Polykarpos
Polycarp
Saint Polycarp was a 2nd century Christian bishop of Smyrna. According to the Martyrdom of Polycarp, he died a martyr, bound and burned at the stake, then stabbed when the fire failed to touch him...
, and of an Ayazma dedicated to Saint Menas
Saint Menas
Saint Menas , the Martyr and Wonder-worker, is one of the most well-known Egyptian saints in the East and the West, due to the many miracles that are attributed to his intercession and prayers...
. This church was destroyed in the great fire of Samatya of 1782, and rebuilt in 1833 by architect Konstantis Yolasığmazis, with money collected through an offertory of the local Mahalle
Mahalle
Mahalle is an Arabic word, adopted into Turkish which is variously translated as district, quarter, ward, or "neighborhood." It is an official administrative unit in many Middle Eastern countries. In the Ottoman Empire the mahalle was the smallest administrative entity...
assembly with the consent of Sultan
Ottoman Dynasty
The Ottoman Dynasty ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1299 to 1922, beginning with Osman I , though the dynasty was not proclaimed until Orhan Bey declared himself sultan...
Mahmud II
Mahmud II
Mahmud II was the 30th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1808 until his death in 1839. He was born in the Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, the son of Sultan Abdulhamid I...
(r. 1808–1839). The new church was dedicated to Saint Menas, like the near Ayazma. In 1878/9 four ancient tombs were found under the church. The building was damaged during the Istanbul Pogrom
Istanbul Pogrom
The Istanbul riots , were mob attacks directed primarily at Istanbul's Greek minority on 6–7 September 1955. The riots were orchestrated by the Turkish government under Adnan Menderes. The events were triggered by the false news that the Turkish consulate in Thessaloniki, north Greece—the...
of 6 September 1955, but since then it has been restored. It is still officiated and can be visited.
Description
The present church is a rectangular building with a basilica plan, with length of approximately 20 metres (66 ft), width of 13 metres (43 ft), and height of 9 metres (30 ft). It is oriented in east to west direction, and has a side entrance and a bell tower. The interior is divided into three naveNave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
s. The pictures on the upper section of its iconostasis contain images with episodes of the life of Jesus Christ; those on the lower section, several Saints, Jesus Christ, and the Virgin Mary. On the faces of the ambon
Ambon (liturgy)
The Ambon or Ambo is a projection coming out from the soleas in an Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic church. The ambon stands directly in front of the Holy Doors...
, Christ with the Evangelists are painted. The Naos
Cella
A cella or naos , is the inner chamber of a temple in classical architecture, or a shop facing the street in domestic Roman architecture...
is adorned with images of Christ Pantocrator. Nothing remains of the ancient byzantine church.
The Martyrion, which lies under the church and behind a gas station, currently houses two shops, an iron workshop and a car wash shop. It can be accessed through a modern opening obtained by enlarging an ancient window. The original structure was a rotunda
Rotunda (architecture)
A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, sometimes covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...
with a inner circle of columns supporting a dome. The central chamber is a room covered by a lowered dome constructed of brickwork with an height of 5.7 metres (19 ft) and a diameter of 12 metres (39.4 ft).
This room is partially encompassed by a deambulatorium 2.5 metres (8 ft) wide and 7.5 metres (25 ft) high, which has a horseshoe shape. The room gives access towards the east to a rectangular bema
Bema
The Bema means a raised platform...
. This has at its right the remains of a spiral stairs, possibly used in the past to reach the upper church, and at its left a cell
Cella
A cella or naos , is the inner chamber of a temple in classical architecture, or a shop facing the street in domestic Roman architecture...
with an apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
. The Hagiasma still exists and lies opposite to the Martyrion.