more byzantine legends

Continuing my musings on the Fall of Constantinople, and the legends surround the final days of the city, I present to you another legend of holy miracles, and unfulfilled prophecies.

Once the City's walls were breached, and Ottoman soldiers were pouring into the City, the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire himself, Constantine Palaeologus, fought amoung the soldiers, charged into the oncoming wave of enemy soldiers, and presumably died on the ramparts. However, his body was never found, even though his Imperial Insignia was found. It is said that an Angel came down from Heaven, changing Constantine Palaeologus into marble and hidden from the Ottomans. When the time comes (presumably when Constantinople is once again a Christian City) Constantine Palaeologus will be changed back into flesh and bone, be ressurected to lead the City once again.

They took the City, they took it, took Salonica
They took St. Sofia, too, the great monastery
Which has three-hundred semandra and sixty two bells...
For each bell a priest, for each priest a deacon.
Near the time the Sacred Vessels come out, and the king of all...

A dove came down from heavens: Stop the
Cherubic, and lower the Sacred Vessels,
Priests, take the Sacramental and you candles blow out...
For it is the will of God the City should fall to the Turks...

Our Lady was disturbed and the icons tearful.
Hush, Our Lady and you, icons weep not,
With the passing of years and in time she'll be yours again.

-Greek folk song

This folk song touches on the other two legends I wrote about in my previous post. And since I know how much you all like my photos...


Emperor Constantine Palaeologus, the last Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, who died May 29, 1453 defending the city among his soldiers.


The Imperial Flag which was also the Flag of Constantinople