Thank you for the kind words!
“Went to Hagia Sophia when I was an exchange student summer of ‘89. It positively floored me.”
You’re not the only one! In 987 Prince Vladimir of Kiev sent out emissaries to investigate the religious beliefs and practices of the region. They went to Germany, Bulgaria and finally to Constantinople where they attended a Divine Liturgy at Agia Sophia. They reported back to their prince:
“And we went into the Greek lands, and we were led into a place where they serve their God and we did not know where we were, on heaven or on earth; and do not know how to tell about this. All we know is that God lives there with people and their service is better than in any other country. We cannot forget that beauty since each person, if he eats something sweet, will not take something bitter afterwards; so we cannot remain any more in paganism.”
Wow!! Chills!!!