The Image of Light in the “Ekphrasis of the Hagia Sophia” by Paul the Silentiary

Abstract

The paper explores the imagery of light in a poem by Paul the Silentiary (6th century) “Ekphrasis of the Hagia Sophia” (and in an adjoining poem “Ekphrasis of the Ambo”) written by order of the Emperor Justinian in 562 on the occasion of the re-consecration of the Church. This problem is more often touched upon from the point of view of art because of the detailed description of the lighting system in St. Sophia, which uses artificial as well as natural light. But the imagery of light in the poem by Paul the Silentiary bears a purely artistic load as well. On the one hand, the light symbolize the presence of the Deity in the Temple; the lighting system itself is arranged so that its description echoes the image of the descent of heavenly light in Pseudo-Dionysius Areopagite. On the other hand, the light symbolizes joy that comes to replace sadness. Here Paul alludes to contemporary historic atmosphere and the events that inspired the writing of the poem: the earlier victories of Justinian and the ability of the emperor to resist adversity that marked the late period of his reign; the collapse of the dome in the earthquake and its recovery. The date of re-consecration committed on Christmas Eve becomes an occasion for thinking: after the December decrease sunlight should be his new revival. Thus, the symbolism of light carries the idea of a new flourishing, which awaits the Kingdom of Justinian. The emperor himself in the description of Paul appears as the “Sun King,” who shines to the East and the West and bear to the world the divine light of the Trinity. The poem ends with a supplication to God — the Light — to donate His grace to the emperor, the city and its citizens. Such a multi-dimensional approach indicates the high poetic skill of Paul the Silentiary.