Posted on 05/10/2006 9:17:53 AM PDT by a_Turk
Workers digging a railway tunnel under the Bosporus Strait have uncovered the remains of a major Byzantine harbor that archaeologists say is a trove of relics dating back to Roman Emperor Constantine the Great.
The deepest underwater rail tunnel in the world will link Istanbul's Asian and European halves and ease bridge traffic across the Bosporus Strait. It may also be delayed by excited archaeologists. The tunnel, when it's finished, will end in a shining new railway station, the largest in Turkey -- a train and subway link surrounded by a 21st-century shopping center. Modern Turkish planners, though, weren't the first people in history to imagine the spot as a transport hub. The $4 billion tunnel project has uncovered a fourth-century harbor under the slums of Yenikapi, on the European side of Istanbul, and archaeologists excavating the area say it's a trove of relics dating back as far as Constantine the Great.
(Excerpt) Read more at service.spiegel.de ...
Thanks for the post. Being Byzantine Catholic I find it very interesting.
ggg Ping!
Byzantine Catholic?........You must be VERY VERY old...........
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Treasure (Archaeology) Dig Threatens Bosphorus Rail Link
BBC | 5-2-2006 | Sarah Rainsford
Posted on 05/02/2006 2:44:06 PM EDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1625431/posts
LOL.. There are still a few of us around. One of these days I'd love to visit turk's home country and see the Hagia Sophia.
No doubt once the archeologists have completed their work the relics will be placed in a museum or sent traveling around the world so that we can see a slice on Constantinople circa Constantine!
There was a show on History Channel on undergound cities. I got the impression it was to be a series, but only Istanbul has been aired so far. Absolutely fascinating. Remains of the Hippodrome, palaces, and vast cisterns completely intact. This particular harbor was a lagoon or inlet that silted in over time, and there had been many sunken vessels in the relatively shallow water. I just saw a rerun of it last week, so look for it if you are interested.
As is the case with many ancient harbors it probably silted up and was eventually filled. The geology of that area is fractured with faults and there is a history of quakes so there could have been a series of uplifts.
The Great Schism happened in the 11th century and so, this city was the center of the EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH ( and still is, by the way), NOT THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.
Since the head of your church is the POPE in Roman not the Patriarch of Constaninople, you are not Eastern Orthodox and not even in Communion with them!
I could type a whole bunch but it has already been done for me. There is a good explanation here:
http://byzcath.org/Faith-and-Worship/Who-Are-Byzantine-Catholics.htm
See, Hagia Sophia was A GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH!! In fact during a crusade by the Pope of Rome's army in the 13th century, the Church was sacked and many Eastern Orthodox Christians and their Priests were killed.
The Altar made with precious stones and many valuable golden Icons were stolen by the Roman Pope's army. But, then... A storm at sea caused the ship carring the valuable items back to Rome to sink and the Altar and all the Icons were lost!!
WHEN THE TURKS TOOK THE CITY CENTURIES LATER, they MESSED THE CHURCH UP AND TURNED INTO A MUSLIM PLACE AND DESTROYED MANY BEAUTIFUL FRESCOES AND KILLED MANY MORE CHRISTIANS!!
The Eastern Orthodox Church has tried to re-open their senminary on a an island near the city but the Turks will not allow it! RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN TURKEY IS NOT WHAT IT COULD BE. But, for a muslim country, at least they haven't killed another Orthodox Patriarch in quite a few years....
And, you all are NOT given the Eucharist in an Eastern Orthodox Church, anymore than a Baptist or a Methodist is allowed to do so.
At one time in the past, your group may have been Eastern Orthodox Christians but somehow, you all wound up in the Roman controlled sphere of the Pope in Rome. If that is what your folks wanted, well, that is AOK for you... but you all are really VERY different theologically from the Eastern Church.
When Constantine moved the capital from Rome to Byzantium/Constantinople/Istanbul there was no such thing as orthodox. This is where the "eastern rites" originated. The schism betweem the eastern and western churches occurred around 1000. We are left then with those who are in union with Rome (Byz Caths, Melkites, Ruthenians, etc.) and the Orthodox under the Patriarch.
LOL.. it's not meant to be a religious war dude.. the fact is that all eastern rites trace theirselves back to Constantinople and that is history we should all be interested in.
Take a deep breath and relax. Sounding frantic doesn't build solid arguments. No one is insulting the greek heritage, if that is what you are reacting to. Costantinople was a Byzantine capital, part of an empire that included many races, including the greeks. Now it is a turkish city. Deal with it, it's been 600 years.
600 years ??? The OPPRESSION OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION IS NOW!!!
What are you? An apologist for anti-CHRISTIAN muslims TURKS???
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