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Dick Osseman | all galleries >> Istanbul >> Churches - Kiliseler >> Roman Orthodox Patriarchate, Ecumenical Patriarchate >> Aya Todori Rum Ortodoks Kilisesi > Istanbul june 2008 1284b.jpg
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09-JUN-2008

Istanbul june 2008 1284b.jpg

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I found there was a church hidden in a district I thought I knew like the palm of my hand. This is its front. I understood the building was renovated on a spot where there had been a church earlier.

Could some viewer give us a hint of what's written here?

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Very Rev. Alexander Kile 01-Oct-2008 13:42
Dear Dick
This is very interesting writing called KARAMANLICA- KARAMANLIDIKA. In Karaman, central Asia Minor, in 1700s the Sultan said to the Greek Population:" you change your faith or your language. " They decided to keep their faith and to talk Turkish but to write it in Greek Letters because they did not know Arabic alphabet. With the time these people moved to Constantinople, ( Istanbul) and built Schools and Churches. This marble peace is proclaming of a church and school building opening, because is ancient Turkish I did not understand the whole meaning of the scripture but when you read it this comes out:
"Bin sekizyuz elli senesidir, ish bu Mesih-ie,
Alembenah Onuncu sene Devlet-i Mecidiye
Ilmi Sherif Sevdasi Binasidir Bu Aghian Beghian,
Gel Alem sende bu Leziz ve Illahi Sevdaya gian saz
ol buna bakinca cemaati Konstantanian,
Rusan ol, buna tefahhur egile herbir mouimin Hristian"
Free translation: " In 1850, during the 10th year of the Universal Sultanate of Mecid, this church was erected. You also people come and fell in love and taste this sweet love of knowledge ( Ilmi-Sherif may be theology)when the people of Constantinople look at it. Every Christian one will become..........(Rushan ol tefahhur eghile.?) .
Somebody who knows old Turkish to translate these words. Thank you V.Rev A. Kile