Our Lady of the Founders

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August 31: Our Lady of the Founders, Constantinople

The Abbot Orsini tells us Empress Saint Pulcheria had this church built, & gave to it girdle of Our Lady.
A feast of this relic is kept at Constantinople, under title of the Deposition of Our Lady’s girdle.
The French having taken this city, this precious treasure was carried off by Nivellon, Bishop of Soissons, & placed in the celebrated abbey of Our Lady, with a portion of the veil of that Queen of heaven.

The Empress Saint Pulcheria lived in Constantinople in 5th century, & she built many churches, hospitals & public houses for destitute.
She is responsible for at least 3 churches in Constantinople that were dedicated to the Blessed Virgin – the Blachemae, the Chalkoprateia, & the Hodegetria.

The Church of the Virgin of Blachernae, now known as Church of Panagia of Blachernae, is located in Istanbul.
It was once most celebrated shrine in Constantinople, & lies inside high walls of the city, only a short distance from Golden Horn.
The church was begun by the Empress Pulcheria, & completed by her husband, the emperor Marcian.

It was built upon the site of what was thought to be a sacred spring, the waters of which are still thought to have therapeutic value.

The Emperor Leo I made several additions, including the Hagai Soros, which was actually a small chapel next to the church where Holy Robe & Girdle of the Blessed Virgin Mary were kept in a silver & gold reliquary.
The relics had been brought from Palestine in 458.

In year 911 AD it was reported that there was a Marian apparition at this church.
The city was under siege by a large Muslim army, so citizens of Constantinople had recourse to Mary, praying for relief at Blachernae church.
Very early one morning the Blessed Virgin, preceded by a host of angels, was seen to enter through church doors, escorted by Saint John the Baptist & Saint John the Theologian.

She advanced to center of the church & knelt there to pray fervently with tears in her eyes.
After a time she moved to altar & continued praying before she removed Her veil & held it out over faithful as She ascended back into heaven.
This was seen as a sign that she was taking city under her protection, & so it happened that Christian’s won a striking victory over their enemies, who were driven off.

The city of Constantinople came under siege during Fourth Crusade in year 1203, & was captured in April of 1204.
The Bishop Nivelon de Cherisy was one of first men to scale walls of mighty Constantinople when it was finally opened to Crusaders.
Despite fact that there was a stern prohibition against plundering relics from churches & monasteries, many holy relics were obtained & brought back to the West.

Bishop Conrad of Halberstadt, Abbot Martin of Pairis, & Nivelon of Soiccons were known to have taken relics.
Nivelon of Soiccons enriched his cathedral at Soissons with several important relics.

Robert of Clari later includes in a list of relics he viewed at church of Blessed Virgin of the Pharos (Lighthouse) the crown of thorns, the Virgin’s Robe, the head of John the Baptist, & 2 large pieces of the True Cross.
The robe was a large portion of sleeveless shirt worn by the Virgin Mary, as well as her girdle.