Monastery of the Panaghia Hodegetria

The Monastery of the Panaghia Hodegetria in Constantinople was founded by Saint Pulcheria (399-453) in the 5th century. Saint Pulcheria was the daughter of Emperor Arcadius.

Tradition states that the monastery held the Icon of the Hodegetria, believed to have been painted by Saint Luke. When the icon was sent to Pulcheria, she took a vow of chastity. [Warren Treadgold, A History of the Byzantine State and Society, Stanford, 1997 ISBN-10: 0804726302 ] . The name of the icon, Panagia "Hodegetria" ("She who shows the Way"), is given through the legend which tells that nearby the church of the monastery was a source where the blind and all who suffered eye disorders came to be healed, since the Holy Virgin would have appeared to two blind people and guided them here where she restored their vision. The sanctuary was rebuilt by Michael III (842-867) but only a few ruins are visible near Gülhane Park.

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