I wish to share a mystical story related by Steven Runciman in from his book "Fall of Constantinople" (page 147). It speaks of events from inside the Hagia Sophia during the final day in 1453, and gives divine hope with spiritual quality.
"Then the [Turkish] sailors from both fleets and the first batches of soldiers from the land-walls converged on the greatest church of all Byzantium, the Cathedral of the Holy Wisdom.
The church was still thronged. The Holy Liturgy was ended, and the service of matins was being sung. At the sound of the tumult outside the huge bronze gates of the building were closed. Inside the congregation prayed for the miracle that alone could save them. They prayed in vain. It was not long before the doors were battered down. The worshippers were trapped. A few of the ancient and infirm were killed on the spot; but most of them were tied of chained together. Veils and scarves were torn off the women to serve as ropes. Many of the lovelier maidens and youths and many of the richer-clad were almost torn to death as their captors quarreled over them. Soon a long procession of ill-assorted little groups of men and women bound rightly together was being dragged to the soldiers' bivouacs, there to be fought over once again. The priests went on chanting at the altar till they too were taken. But at the last moment, so the faithful believed, a few of them snatched up the holiest vessels and moved to the southern wall of the sanctuary. It opened for them and closed behind them; and there they will remain until the sacred edifice becomes a church once more."
A truly marvelous story!
As his source for this story Runciman cited the Byzantine historians George Sphrantzes and Michael Critobulus, as well as the Latin cleric Leonard of Chios. Unfortunately, I have not been able to track this story down through resources online, however Runciman was a famous Byzantinologist, and thus certainly found access to the sources he cited.
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