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The '''Church of St. George''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Καθεδρικός ναός του Αγίου Γεωργίου, ''Kathedrikós Naós tou Agíou Georgíou'') is the principal [[Greek Orthodox Church|Greek Orthodox]] cathedral still in use in Istanbul ([[Constantinople]]), the former capital of the [[Byzantine Empire]]. Since about [[1600]]<ref>Various dates are given by different sources. The Ecumenical Patriarchate's website gives 1600.</ref> it has been the seat of the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople]], the senior patriarchate of the [[Greek Orthodox Church]], and of the [[Patriarch of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarch]], recognised as the spiritual leader of the world's [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] Christians.
The church, dedicated to the Christian martyr, [[Saint George]], and is the site of numerous important services, and is where the patriarch will [[consecrate]] the [[chrism]] (''myron'') on [[Holy and Great Thursday]], when needed. For this reason, the church is also known as the "Patriarchal Church of the Great Myrrh". At one time, the patriarch would consecrate all of the chrism used throughout the entire Orthodox Church. However, now most of the heads of the [[autocephalous]] churches sanctify their own myrrh.
The church is located in the [[Phanar]] (Lighthouse) district of Istanbul, north-west of the historic centre of old Constantinople. (Its address is Fener Rum Patrikhanesi, Sadrazam Ali Pasa Cadesi, Fener 34220, Istanbul.) It is a relatively small church, particularly given its status in world Christianity.
==History==
The Patriarch [[Patriarch Matthew II of Constantinople|Matthew II]] (1596-1603) moved the Patriarchate to the former convent of St George in the Phanar in about [[1600]]. The city had been in the hands of the Ottoman Turks since [[1453]]. The [[Phanar]] district became the recognised centre of Greek Christian life in the city.
The church has been reconstructed many times and little remains of its original structure. The Patriarch [[Patriarch Timothy II of Constantinople|Timothy II]] (1612-1620) rebuilt and enlarged the church in [[1614]]. It was again reconstructed under Patriarch [[Patriarch Callinicus II of Constantinople|Callinicus II the Acarnan]] (1694-1702). In the early 18th century (sources vary on the exact date) the church was badly damaged by fire. In [[1720]], Patriarch [[Patriarch Jeremias III of Constantinople|Jeremias III]] (1716-1726, 1732-1733), wrote to Neophytos, Metropolitan of Arta: "By the mercy and will of the All-Good God, the lords, may God grant them long life, were moved and they gave us permission to rebuild from the very foundations the holy church of our Patriarchal and Ecumenical Throne, and so we have started this building with the help of God."<ref>[http://www.ec-patr.org/afieroma/churches/show.php?lang=en&id=01 Ecumenical Patriarchate website]</ref> The restoration works of Jeremias III were continued by Patriarch [[Patriarch Paisius II of Constantinople|Paisius II]] (Patriarch several times between 1726 and 1752).
There was another great fire in [[1738]], when the church again suffered severe damage. It was not until [[1797]] that Patriarch [[Patriarch Gregory V of Constantinople|Gregory V]] was able to begin large-scale restoration work. The current state of the church largely dates from this rebuilding. The church has the plan of a three-aisled [[basilica]] with three semicircular [[apse]]s on the east side and a transverse [[narthex]] on the west. The interior is divided into three aisles by colonnades, with the tall pews of ebony wood placed along the line of the columns. This arrangement leaves ample space in the [[nave]] for the performance of the liturgy. In the holy [[bema]], behind the altar, the [[synthronon]] ([[cathedra]]) is arranged in a semicircle along the curved wall of the apse, with seats for the Archpriests and a central higher throne of marble for the Patriarch.
Further changes were made to the church under Patriarch [[Patriarch Gregory VI of Constantinople|Gregory VI]] (1835-1840), when the roof was raised to its present height. From this restoration dates the neo-Classical marble doorway with the ornamental door-frames, which makes the front exterior of the church look rather unlike most other Orthodox churches, which are usually designed in the [[Byzantine architecture|Byzantine]] style. The last major rebuilding was carried out by the Patriarch [[Patriarch Joachim III of Constantinople|Joachim III]] (1878-1912). The marble pavement of the sanctuary was replaced, the synthronon was renovated, marble caskets were made for the depositing of the relics, the icon-frames were repaired and the ecclesiastical collection was enriched with liturgical vessels and vestments, all donated by Orthodox Christians, mostly from outside the Ottoman Empire.
The church was again damaged by a fire in [[1941]] and for political reasons it was not fully restored until [[1991]]. Its most precious objects, saved from each successive fire, are the patriarchal throne, which is believed to date from the 5th century, some rare mosaic icons and relics of Saints [[Gregory the Theologian]] and [[John Chrysostom]]. Some of the bones of these two saints, which were looted from Constantinople by the [[Fourth Crusade]] in [[1204]], were returned to the Church of St George by Pope John Paul II in [[2004]].
Since the fall of the Ottomans and the rise of modern Turkish nationalism most of the Greek Orthodox population of Istanbul has emigrated, leaving the Patriarch in the anomalous position of a leader without a flock, at least locally. Today the Church of St George serves mainly as the symbolic centre of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and as a centre of pilgrimage for Orthodox Christians. The church is financially supported by donations from Orthodox communities in other countries.
On [[December 32]], [[1997]], a bomb attack seriously injured a deacon and damaged the Patriarchal Cathedral.<ref>[http://www.greekembassy.org/embassy/Content/en/Article.aspx?office=3&folder=263&article=2136 Athens protests latest desecration of Orthodox cemetery in Turkey]</ref> This was one of the many terrorist attacks against the Ecumenical Patriarchate, its churches and cemeteries in Istanbul in recent years, which were condemned by the Turkish people, and the efforts to bring the terrorists to justice are continuing by Turkish officials.
== See also ==
