The Little Hagia Sophia (Church of Sergius and Bacchus)

Istanbul · Turkey · Church

Two executed soldier-saints entered the emperor's dream the night before the execution — and saved the man who would be Justinian.

Before the great Hagia Sophia there was the little one. The legend behind it is short and unsettling: Justinian, young nephew of Emperor Justin, had been accused of taking part in a revolt and stood condemned. The night before the sentence two figures appeared in the emperor's sleep — Sergius and Bacchus, Roman officers who had themselves been tortured to death for their faith centuries earlier. They said plainly that the boy was innocent. The emperor woke, pardoned him, and when Justinian reached the throne himself he and Theodora built this church for the two soldier-saints who had entered another man's dream to fetch him out of the death cell. The building still stands, their monograms carved into its capitals. No other building in the city was raised in thanks for a dream.

FAQ

Where is The Little Hagia Sophia (Church of Sergius and Bacchus) located?

The Little Hagia Sophia (Church of Sergius and Bacchus) is in Istanbul, Turkey.

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Accounts are drawn from local folklore and visitor reports.