Memorial Day and the conquest of Constantinople

Jihad Watch ^ | 5/29/17 | Robert Spencer

[markomalley]

As we remember, with a debt of gratitude we can never repay, those who have died to keep us free, let us also remember what the consequences will be if we lose this great defense against jihad that the free world isn’t even seriously fighting.

Today is May 29, the anniversary of the Muslim conquest of Constantinople, which took place on May 29, 1453.

It is useful, in our comfortable complacency and general lack of any historical memory at all, and overarching concern to avoid “Islamophobia,” to recall what happened when the Muslims entered the great city.

Historian Steven Runciman notes that the Muslim soldiers “slew everyone that they met in the streets, men, women, and children without discrimination. The blood ran in rivers down the steep streets from the heights of Petra toward the Golden Horn. But soon the lust for slaughter was assuaged. The soldiers realized that captives and precious objects would bring them greater profit.” (The Fall of Constantinople 1453, Cambridge University Press, 1965, p. 145.)

Some jihadists “made for the small but splendid churches by the walls, Saint George by the Charisian Gate, Saint John in Petra, and the lovely church of the monastery of the Holy Saviour in Chora, to strip them of their stores of plate and their vestments and everything else that could be torn from them. In the Chora they left the mosaics and frescoes, but they destroyed the icon of the Mother of God, the Hodigitria, the holiest picture in all Byzantium, painted, so men said, by Saint Luke himself. It had been taken there from its own church beside the Palace at the beginning of the siege, that its beneficient presence might be at hand to inspire the defenders on the walls. It was taken from its setting and hacked into four pieces.” (P. 146.)

It won’t be like that here, right? Right? Our people will always live in safety, and our culture and our civilization will never be cast into the dust. Boston strong, right? Manchester strong. San Bernardino strong. Brussels strong. Berlin strong. Nice strong. Orlando strong. And all the rest. How strong we are, except for the racist “Islamophobes” who try to divide us! We are strong everywhere, with our candles and vigils so very strong, and with our love we will overcome the “far-right” and the terrorists both! Won’t we?

[Enchante]

Well as long as we have plenty of flowers and candles we will feel very strong! /s

[lightman]

Orthodox Ping!

Save Thy people, O Lord,
and bless Thine inheritance.
Grant victory to Thy Church over her enemies,
and protect Thy people by Thy Holy Cross

[Fai Mao]

Byzantium, Forever and Ever!

[LS]

Still looking for $30m to make “Malta,” about the 1565 defense of Malta by the Knights Templars, outnumbered 10:1.

[DoughtyOne]

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[pack29172]

Islam is as Islam does. Islam does not mean “Peace”, it means submission, one way or another. Submit or die.

[wjcsux]

And the Jhadi’s continue to laugh at the stupidity of the western world.

[RetiredTexasVet]

And little stuffed animals always help to make it better.

[vooch]

when the liturgy returns to Hagia Sophia, is when I vacation in Turkey.

The current government in Ankara should have the courage to return the church to the church :)

[njslim]

September 11 1565 - relief forces under Don Toledo de Garcia
pushed the Ottoman invaders off the island of Malta

The Malta garrison had withstood a 4 month siege - out of
some 8,000 defenders at start only 600 were left able to
bear arms at end of siege

[njslim]

September 11 1565 - relief forces under Don Toledo de Garcia
pushed the Ottoman invaders off the island of Malta

The Malta garrison had withstood a 4 month siege - out of
some 8,000 defenders at start only 600 were left able to
bear arms at end of siege

[Ouchthatonehurt]

They can cover over the mosaics. They can install a mihrab. The can surround it with minarets.
The Hagia Sofia is, and will always be - as long as it stands, a beautiful monument to Christianity.

[Biggirl]

Big difference is that Americans are ARMED to the teeth. With guns.