Hagios Georgios Patriarchate Church

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Turkish Name: Hagios Georgios Patrikhane Kilisesi

The Patriarchate Church can be found in the courtyard of Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and was built in 1720 over the old church . The church is located in the Fener (or Phanar) – Lighthouse - district of Istanbul , north-west of the historic centre of old Constantinople . It is the main Greek Orthodox cathedral still in use in Istanbul . It was also used in Constantinople (the name of Istanbul when it was the capital of the Byzantine Empire) until 1453 . Since the date 1600 , the church has been the place of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople , the senior patriarchate of the Greek Orthodox Church , and of the Ecumenical Patriarch , recognized as the spiritual leader of the world's Eastern Orthodox Christians .

The church is visited by pilgrims from Greece and other Orthodox countries . It is dedicated to the Christian martyr , Saint George , and is the place of important services . The patriarch also consecrates the chrism (myron) on Holy and Great Thursday in this church , when needed , that's why it is also known as the "Patriarchal Church of the Great Myrrh" .

The Patriarchate church has three naves where the middle nave is covered with vaults and the other two side naves have plain ceiling . The gallery over the narthex extends to the main area over side naves , at the west of the main area . Relief engravings appear ornamenting the Iconostasis , ambon and the throne of the patriarch that is covering the three naves . Icons and sacred goods from other churches were collected in the Patriarchate church , therefore the church is rich in icons . Also the stone which is believed to have been used to f1aggelate Jesus was brought from Jerusalem to the church and is located at the south section of Iconostasis . At the south nave , there are the three coffins of the relics that belong to Saint Eufemia , Teophano and Solomoni .

The church is open to the public from 8 . 30am to 4pm , however there is strict security screening .