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column of St. Gregory the Miracle-Worker, all covered with bronze
plates. St. Gregory appeared near this column, and the people kiss
it and rub their breasts and shoulders against it to be cured of their
pains.” Centuries of credulous pilgrims have worn a hole in the metal
plate and into the column itself, for the moisture contained in the
cavity has always been considered specific against eye diseases and
a nostrum for fertility. It is often said that the moisture in this little
hole is drawn up through the column from the cisterns supposed to
be under the church. But these cisterns are themselves a legend, for a
recent study has shown that they do not exist.
THE MOSAICS IN THE NAVE
Little now remains of the mosaics which once adorned the nave of
Haghia Sophia. The largest and most beautiful of those which have
survived is contained in the conch of the apse. This mosaic depicts
the Mother of God with the Christ-Child on her knees; she is dressed
in flowing robes of blue with a small cross on the fold of the mantle
over her head and one on each shoulder; her right hand rests on the
Child's shoulder and her left upon his knee. The Child is dressed in
gold and wears sandals on his feet; his right hand is raised in blessing
while his left holds a scroll. The Virgin sits on a simple bench-like
throne adorned with jewels; under her are two cushions, the lower
green, the upper embroidered with clubs like those on playing cards;
beneath her feet is a plinth-like footstool, also bejewelled. At the
bottom of the arch which frames the apse we see a colossal figure of
the Archangel Gabriel; he wears a divitision, or undergarment, over
which is thrown a chlamys, or cloak of white silk; his great wings,
reaching nearly to his feet, are of brightly-coloured feathers, chiefly
green, blue and white. In his right hand he holds a staf, in his left
a crystal globe through which can be seen his thumb. Although the
upper part of his left side and the top of his right wing are lost, he
is nevertheless a fine and striking figure. Opposite, on the north side
of the arch, can be seen only a few sad feathers of the wings of the
Archangel Michael. Finally, on the face of the apse conch we read the
first three and the last nine letters of an inscription in Greek, of which
the whole of the middle part is now missing. The inscription was an
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