Hagia Sophia, God s Chosen Ruler, and St. Nicholas: New Perspectives on the Macedonian Dynasty

Abstract

under the Macedonian Dynasty (867-1056) is one of the most fecund topics of interdisciplinary research among Byzantinists. Despite the already large body of literature, it continues to produce a plethora of research opportunities and new perspectives. 1 In this regard, a set of historical, archaeological, and iconographic sources on Hagia Sophia currently point to reframing the imperial office under the Macedonians based on reassessments of the hagiographical dossier of St. Nicholas and archaeological studies of his pilgrimage shrine in Myra (Demre), Lycia. They do so in their content on the ascent of Basil I (r. 867-886), his founding of a new dynasty, and his invocation of St. Nicholas. Examination of the sources reveal common or related characteristics at Hagia Sophia, the Nea Ekklesia in Constantinople, and the shrine of St. Nicholas in Myra that shed light on the forces behind the promotion of St. Nicholas's cult and his impact on the Macedonians' political ideology. The Emperor's Crown and Divine Unction