Since the Fall of Constantinople
(29th May 1453) the Ecumenical Patriarchate has moved a number of
times. The current Patriarchal Church, the Church of St George the Great Martyr
and Trophy Bearer is the fifth church in former Byzantine capital to house the
Ecumenical Patriarchate. Formerly a convent for Orthodox nuns, it was converted
to the patriarchal offices by Patriarch Matthew II (1598-1601).
Patriarch Timothy II refurbished
the Church in 1614, whilst Patriarch Jeremiah III rebuilt it after a fire in
1720. It was repaired by 1836 by Patriarch Gregory VI and restored recently
under Patriarch Bartholomew. The Church of St George is divided into vestibule,
nave, and altar and retains the traditional basilica style with three aisles.
The vestibule contains icons of St George and the Prophet Elijah, who is
wearing fur in memory of the furrier merchants who brought a water system to
the Phanar, the area of modern day Istanbul where the Patriarchate is located.
An impressive feature within this
Church is the Iconostasis. The icon screen that separates the nave from the
altar is an 18th century conglomeration of Byzantine, Renaissance,
Baroque and Ottoman styles. Carved out of wood and recently gilded, the screen
is divided into three levels.
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