Michaelion
Encyclopedia
The Michaelion was the earliest and most famous sanctuary to Archangel Michael in the ancient Near East
. It was built in the 4th century by Emperor Constantine, and was located just south of Constantinople
.
The location of the church, and the temple Sosthenion which had existed there had been previously associated with healing and medicine and the Christian tradition continued to associate the location and the Michaelion with healing waters.
Michaelion was a magnificent church and its construction was followed by several other churches dedicated to Archangel Michael in Constantinople. It then became a a model for hundreds of other churches in Eastern Christianity
.
The location of the temple had been previously associated with healing and medicine and the Christian tradition continued to associate the location and the Michaelion with healing waters.
Early 5th century Eastern Christian historian Sozomen
recorded the devotions by the crowds at Michaelion and wrote of first-hand reports of healings at Michaelion, stating that he had himself received a healing.
Constantine was the first Roman Emperor to become a Christian and in 313 AD along with his co-Emperor Licinius
signed the Edict of Milan
, allowing Christians to worship freely and build public churches, rather than worshiping in secret.
However, Constantine and Licinius later fought each other and in 324 AD Constantine defeated Licinius at the Battle of Adrianople
, not far from the Michaelion - attributing the victory to Archangel Michael.
Constantine felt that both Licinius and Arius
were agents of Satan, and associated them with the serpent described in the Book of Revelation
(12:9). Constantine represented Licenius as a snake on his coins. After the victory, Constantine commissioned a depiction of himself and his sons slaying Licinius represented as a serpent - a symbolism borrowed from the Christian teachings on the Archangel to whom he attributed the victory. A similar painting, this time with the Archangel Michael himself slaying a serpent then became a major art piece at the Michaelion and eventually lead to the standard iconography
of Archangel Michael as a warrior saint.
Michaelion was a magnificent church and based on the reports of miracles there it became a model for hundreds of other churches in Eastern Christianity
. However, Churches dedicated to the Archangel in Western Christianity
lagged those in the East for some time.
As at the Michaelion, the association of Archangel Michael with healing and protection continued into the 6th century, when after a plague in Rome, the sick slept at night in the church of Castel Sant'Angelo
dedicated to him for saving Rome from the plague.
Near East
The Near East is a geographical term that covers different countries for geographers, archeologists, and historians, on the one hand, and for political scientists, economists, and journalists, on the other...
. It was built in the 4th century by Emperor Constantine, and was located just south 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:...
.
The location of the church, and the temple Sosthenion which had existed there had been previously associated with healing and medicine and the Christian tradition continued to associate the location and the Michaelion with healing waters.
Michaelion was a magnificent church and its construction was followed by several other churches dedicated to Archangel Michael in Constantinople. It then became a a model for hundreds of other churches in Eastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity comprises the Christian traditions and churches that developed in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, Northeastern Africa, India and parts of the Far East over several centuries of religious antiquity. The term is generally used in Western Christianity to...
.
Foundation
A temple called Sosthenion had existed at the location prior to the 4th century. An ancient chronicle of Constantine states that he had entered the temple, and felt that the statue there represented a Christian angel. After sleeping the night in the temple, Constantine reported a vision that the angel was the Archangel Michael, and built Michaelion there to honor him.The location of the temple had been previously associated with healing and medicine and the Christian tradition continued to associate the location and the Michaelion with healing waters.
Early 5th century Eastern Christian historian Sozomen
Sozomen
Salminius Hermias Sozomenus was a historian of the Christian church.-Family and Home:He was born around 400 in Bethelia, a small town near Gaza, into a wealthy Christian family of Palestine....
recorded the devotions by the crowds at Michaelion and wrote of first-hand reports of healings at Michaelion, stating that he had himself received a healing.
Battle and iconography
Licinius
Licinius I , was Roman Emperor from 308 to 324. Co-author of the Edict of Milan that granted official toleration to Christians in the Roman Empire, for the majority of his reign he was the rival of Constantine I...
signed the Edict of Milan
Edict of Milan
The Edict of Milan was a letter signed by emperors Constantine I and Licinius that proclaimed religious toleration in the Roman Empire...
, allowing Christians to worship freely and build public churches, rather than worshiping in secret.
However, Constantine and Licinius later fought each other and in 324 AD Constantine defeated Licinius at the Battle of Adrianople
Battle of Adrianople (324)
The Battle of Adrianople was fought on July 3, 324 during a Roman civil war, the second to be waged between the two emperors Constantine I and Licinius; Licinius suffered a heavy defeat.-Background:...
, not far from the Michaelion - attributing the victory to Archangel Michael.
Constantine felt that both Licinius and Arius
Arius
Arius was a Christian presbyter in Alexandria, Egypt of Libyan origins. His teachings about the nature of the Godhead, which emphasized the Father's divinity over the Son , and his opposition to the Athanasian or Trinitarian Christology, made him a controversial figure in the First Council of...
were agents of Satan, and associated them with the serpent described in the Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
(12:9). Constantine represented Licenius as a snake on his coins. After the victory, Constantine commissioned a depiction of himself and his sons slaying Licinius represented as a serpent - a symbolism borrowed from the Christian teachings on the Archangel to whom he attributed the victory. A similar painting, this time with the Archangel Michael himself slaying a serpent then became a major art piece at the Michaelion and eventually lead to the standard iconography
Iconography
Iconography is the branch of art history which studies the identification, description, and the interpretation of the content of images. The word iconography literally means "image writing", and comes from the Greek "image" and "to write". A secondary meaning is the painting of icons in the...
of Archangel Michael as a warrior saint.
A model for other churches
After the construction of the church a monastery was added to it, and thereafter four other churches in honor of Archangel Michael followed it in Constantinople. During the reign of the next several emperors after Constantine, the number of churches dedicated to Archangel Michael in Constantinople increased to fifteen.Michaelion was a magnificent church and based on the reports of miracles there it became a model for hundreds of other churches in Eastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity comprises the Christian traditions and churches that developed in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, Northeastern Africa, India and parts of the Far East over several centuries of religious antiquity. The term is generally used in Western Christianity to...
. However, Churches dedicated to the Archangel in Western Christianity
Western Christianity
Western Christianity is a term used to include the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church and groups historically derivative thereof, including the churches of the Anglican and Protestant traditions, which share common attributes that can be traced back to their medieval heritage...
lagged those in the East for some time.
As at the Michaelion, the association of Archangel Michael with healing and protection continued into the 6th century, when after a plague in Rome, the sick slept at night in the church of Castel Sant'Angelo
Castel Sant'Angelo
The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as the Castel Sant'Angelo, is a towering cylindrical building in Parco Adriano, Rome, Italy. It was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family...
dedicated to him for saving Rome from the plague.