Hagia Triada Church

Located in Kadıköy, Istanbul, Hagia Triada is a Greek Orthodox church built in 1902 by Patriarch III. Yovakim and Metropolitan Yermenos of Kadıköy. The architects of the church, which is dominated by neo-Byzantine and neo-Renaissance styles, are G.Zahariadis and Belissarios Makropoulos.

Surrounded by a low wall with iron bars, the church has a cross-plan structure that can be noticed when viewed from above. The central space is covered by a high drum dome resting on four columns. The dome is supported by half-domes on four sides. The church, built of regular cut stone, has magnificent round-arched bell towers at its corners. When considered on the basis of interior and exterior, the structure has an eclectic style.

There are various religious symbols inside the church. The church, which is dedicated to Father-Son-Holy Spirit, is most striking with the same name. The flying bird between the father and son in the picture represents the Holy Spirit. The double-headed eagle on the arches of the ceiling was made upon the request of the Byzantine Patriarch to show that they represent the East and the West, and the cross crown on her head symbolizes the church.

At the entrance to the church, just to the right of the narthex section, there is a holy spring attributed to Ayia Ekaterini, who lived in the 3rd century. The water from the Holy Spring of Ekaterini, which used to be located in Moda, is now purchased in demijohns, read and sanctified. According to legend, in 294 AD, a daughter named Dorotea was born to an aristocratic family in Alexandria who worshipped idols. Dorotea's life continued normally until a priest told her about the Prophet Jesus. Later, Dorotea, who believed in Jesus, was baptized and took the name 'Ekaterini', which means 'crowned crown'. During the reign of King Maximianus, Ekaterini declared her devotion to the Prophet Jesus. The King sends 50 preachers to dissuade Ekaterini, but Ekaterini convinces the preachers to become Christians. Ekaterini, who disobeys the orders, is killed by the King. Ekaterini's body is taken to the top of the highest mountain in the Sinai Peninsula by angels. Three centuries after this incident, the monks of the monastery that King Justinian had built on the top of the highest mountain in the Sinai Peninsula see in their dreams the location of the body of Aya Ekaterini. The body is taken from where it was and placed in a marble sarcophagus in the structure known today as the Ayazma of Ekaterini. From that day on, it is believed that a sacred perfume emanates from the sarcophagus and that this is a miracle that has survived to this day.

Photo Source: https://www.tarihlisanat.com/aya-triada-kilisesi/