photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Dick Osseman | all galleries >> Istanbul >> Museums - Müzeler >> Kariye a.k.a. Chora >> Parekklesion >> Burial recesses, saints and martyrs > Istanbul Chora Church dec 2016 1127.jpg
previous | next
10-Dec-2016 Dick Osseman

Istanbul Chora Church dec 2016 1127.jpg

The guidebook I used as a reference explains how the Byzantines saw martyrs and warrior saints as holy people who could intercede to God. So they were often represented on the lower walls of chapels.

This saint is located between the saints surrounding the southeast and southwest recesses, so I put him there.

I was informed this is Saint Theodore of Amasea or Tyro. From the Wikipedia: "(Greek: Θεόδωρος) is one of the two saints called Theodore, who are venerated as Warrior Saints and Great Martyrs in the Eastern Orthodox Church. He is also known as Theodore Tyron (or Tyro or Tiron or Tiro or Teron). The other saint of the same name is Theodore Stratelates, also known as Theodore of Heraclea, but this second St Theodore may never have had a separate existence. When the epithet is omitted, the reference is usually to St Theodore of Amasea."Tiro" is a word from classical Latin meaning a "recently enlisted soldier or recruit". The Latin word was transliterated into Greek with various spellings (Τύρων, Τίρων, Τήρων or Τείρων)."

Warrior saints wear short tunics beneath armour and often wield a spear, martyrs have no armour and wear martyrs' robes. Some saints are depicted as just portraits, in medaillons.

I don't know why I took his picturew so often, maybe because its striking and is also well-lit, so I had less of the problems I had elsewhere.

Nikon D4
1/60s f/7.1 at 56.0mm iso14368 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
comment | share