Agia Sophia

This is a fascinating documentary that I recommend to anyone who--like me--is at all interested in history and architecture, especially the churchy kinds.

A couple things to pay attention to as you watch this: First of all, you will see several beautiful aerial shots of the cathedral as is today; remember that the minarets surrounding it and the huge gold crescent at the peak of its dome were not there when it was built. The dome, of course was topped by a cross.

Also, you may notice the images of seraphim on the pendentives in the interior of the church, just below the dome. These are mosaics that were very recently--like last year!--discovered and exposed. They had, like all the sacred imagery in the church, been plastered over when the Turks took over in 1453. You can read more about them here.

And one last thing. The cathedral is not named in honor of St Sophia.  The word "άγία," although it can be translated as "saint" (which comes from the Latin word "sanctus," meaning "holy"), in this case refers to the Holy Wisdom--or Aγία Σοφία--of God. (see 1Co 1.20, 2.7; James 3.17)

Enjoy.