Church of Sts. Constantine and Helen (Edirne)
The church of Sveti Sveti Konstantin and Elena ( Bulgarian църква " Св св. . Константин и Елена " St. Constantine and Helena Church, Turkish Konstantin ve Elena Kilisesi ) is a Bulgarian Orthodox church in Edirne ( Bulg Odrin ) in the northwest of Turkey. It is dedicated to Saint Constantine and Helen. In addition to St. George's Church ( built in 1880 ) it is the only remaining Bulgarian church in Edirne. Both churches are also the only surviving churches in Edirne.
Location
The Church of Saints Konstantin and Elena is in the ostthrakischen, Turkish city of Edirne. It lies in the southwestern part of the town in the district Kirişhane in the mahalla Abdurahman. The church is located in the Mezarlik Street near the Uzun Kaldirim Boulevard. In the immediate vicinity is the mouth of the river Tundscha ( Turkish Tunca ) in the Maritsa River.
History
The church was built in 1869. The construction was financed by donations from Bulgarians in Edirne, which came from Macedonia and other regions of Thrace. The construction work, which began on March 3 and ended on September 25th of the same year, were from Usta ( master builder ) Konstantin Kazakov, born in Bulgarköy headed. A year later, were able to celebrate with the establishment of the Bulgarian Exarchate their ecclesiastical independence within the Ottoman Empire in the church the Bulgarian Orthodox believers.
The church is a three-aisled basilica with pseudo elevated ceiling, with an area of approximately 600 m², represents the walls were built in stone masonry, which was characteristic of the architecture of the late Revival period. Two colonnades supporting the ceiling and rafters from the inside. In the western aisle two galleries were built.
1888 was buried in the east wing of the Church of the Metropolitan of the Bulgarian church in Edirne Ewstatij ( 1832-1888 ). His grave stone and his monument were added during reconstruction in 2008 near the main entrance of the church.
After the Second Balkan War of 1913, when the Thracian Bulgarians were driven out, the church was abandoned, fell into disrepair and was looted several times. Yet she escaped the fate of complete destruction, in contrast to other Bulgarian churches in the region until the late 1980s, although it was set with a renewed looting on fire. In 2006, after years of negotiations with the Turkish side to conclude an agreement by the competent Bulgarian authorities. In the same year the remains of the former roof timbers were removed, secured the walls and the whole building protected by a tarp on the weather.
Early 2008 could begin the Rekonstruktionensarbeiten. According to old photos and drawings, the church was reconstructed in their original condition. On 14 September the same year the church was re-consecrated in the presence of the Bulgarian Metropolitan of Rousse Neophyte and other Bulgarian and Turkish dignitaries. The iconostasis with its 69 icons, a gift from the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture, was also reconstructed based on photographs from the 1930s.
Was 17 October 2010 in the courtyard of the church, a monument of the first Bulgarian Exarch, Anthim I., who hails from nearby Kirklareli unveiled.
Inscriptions
During the reconstruction of the church 2008, several inscriptions were found. They were installed in the new direction at various points. Thus is located on the west portal the inscription to the dedication of the church from 1869 with the following text:
Bulgarian:
Approximate German translation:
From the time of the Russo -Turkish wars of 1877/78, when Edirne was occupied by the Russians, the following inscription dates in Russian:
За Братско - то Воспоминанiе отѣ Русси - тѣ на Блъгари - тѣ на Септемврiй 1878
For fraternal remembrance of the Russians, the Bulgarians September 1878
The inscription is now located above the east entrance of Kirchenhofs.