Michaelion

The Michaelion was one of the earliest and most famous sanctuaries dedicated to Archangel Michael in the Roman Empire. According to tradition, it was built in the 4th century by Emperor Constantine the Great (r. 306-337) over an ancient pagan temple, and was located just north of Constantinople (modern Istanbul), in the village of Sosthenion (modern İstinye) on the European shore of the Bosphorus strait.

The pagan temple which had existed there had been previously associated with healing and medicine, and the Christians continued to associate the location and the Michaelion with healing waters.

Michaelion was a magnificent church and became a model for hundreds of other churches in Eastern Christianity.

A temple called Leosthenion (Greek: Λεωσθένιον) or Sosthenion (Greek: Σωσθένιον) had existed at the location prior to the 4th century. The site corresponds to modern Istinye.

According to a widespread tradition, current already since the 6th century, the Church of St. Michael at Sosthenion was founded by Constantine the Great, who visited the temple, erected by the Argonauts and dedicated to Zeus Sosthenios or a winged deity. Constantine interpreted the winged statue of the temple as a Christian angel. After sleeping the night in the temple, Constantine reported a vision that the angel was the Archangel Michael, and converted the building into a church to honor him. However, according to the French scholar Raymond Janin, this tradition is most probably later invention, created in competition with the other great shrine to Michael, at nearby Anaplous, which was of earlier date. It is certain however that the church of St. Michael existed at the turn of the 6th century, for the rebel Vitalian made it his headquarters and Emperor Anastasius I (r. 491–518) visited it in 515. In addition, early 5th-century Eastern Christian historian Sozomen recorded the devotions by the crowds at Michaelion and wrote of first-hand reports of healings at Michaelion, stating that he had himself received a healing. The pagan temple had been previously associated with healing and medicine and the Christian tradition continued to associate the location and the Michaelion with healing waters.

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