The Church of Saint Sophia in Constantinople in the description of Procopius of Cesarea

Abstract

The Saint Sophia Church in Constantinople, wanted by Constantin and restored by the following emperors, was the symbol of the imperial politics of Justinian: destroyed by a fire set to the Senate Palace (532) during the riot “Nika”, was reconstituted magnificently by the emperor who wanted to show his triumph against the political adversaries. The Big Church of Justinian must praise the victory of the orthodoxy and attests the greatness of his government. The work De aedificiis Procopius of Cesarea wants to glorify the sovereign- builder, kept by God, through the catalogue of the buildings approved by him in the earthly empire, that intend to show and imitate the sacredness and magnificence of the heavenly reign. He is an intermediary between the humans and God, so his figure is holy, as all whoever connects to him like churches and palaces, and the rebellion that demolished the church was a riot against the faith, he obtained the confirmation of the orthodoxy by his victory on it and showed the sign of the Divine Providence in the magnificence of the new building: God wanted that confirmation to glorify the truth and praise the sovereign chosen by him who defended it. So, taking a special care stressing the use of materials and describing the structure of the church in detail, it seems he wants to stress that these carry to God because they allow to notice, behind the material, symbolical features, and because the contemplation of the beauty turns out a pray of praise. His way of writing is characterized by the accuracy in the description of the features of the church to tell theological and political certain ideas and by the possibility to meet God through the knowledge of the world and of the works wanted by the emperor chosen by him.