The Mosaics of the Eastern Arch of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople: Program and Liturgy

Abstract

The mosaics of the eastern arch of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople were known only from drawings and watercolors until 1989, when two of these images—the Virgin and St. John the Baptist—were uncovered by conservators working for the Istanbul Archaeological Museum. The images confirm the accuracy of the nineteenth-century drawings by the Fossati brothers, who had covered them with plaster. The eastern arch mosaic program was planned during the reigns of the Byzantine patriarch Philotheos Kokkinos (1353–54, 1364–76) and the emperors John VI Kantakouzenos (1347–54) and John V Palaiologos (1341–91) by a circle of intellectuals who were well aware of new trends in both theology and art. This article—the first publication of these mosaics—addresses how liturgical changes at Hagia Sophia, including the introduction of a new monastic-oriented typikon and the establishment of a Royal Office, affected the program of the eastern arch. Especially noteworthy is the depiction of the emperor below the Virgin of the Magnificat. Representing the emperor as part of the Royal Office in such a prominent location reinforced his political and symbolic role, underscoring imperial authority and dynastic legitimacy sanctioned by Christ. The figure of John Prodromos pointing toward the hetoimasia refers to Christ and his Second Coming, which guarantees worshippers eternal salvation. This message was especially important during the political instability and economic devastation of the late Byzantine Empire.

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