Saint Eugenios

DESCRIPTION AND FORMAL ANALYSIS

The church of Saint Evgenios (Yeni Camii) of Trebizond is a magnificent church which once represented the center of the city’s ecclesiastic, ethnic and cultural life. When the Turks seized Trebizond in 1461, Sultan Mehmet II re-named it Yeni Cuma Camii (New Friday Mosque) because it was here that the conqueror performed his first Friday prayers. Heath Lowry states that Saint Eugenios functioned as a church until at least 1486.

There is some conjuncture as to when Saint Eugenios was built. George Finlay visited Saint Eugenious in 1850 and states that it was burnt in 1340 and was rebuilt by Emperor Alexios III. Xiphilinos and Lazaropoulos give some evidence towards a church or monastery of Saint Evgenios existing around the 9th or 10th century. Selina Ballance however postulates the following: «there was an early church on the site, and it was endowed in 1021/22. This church was still standing in 1223. Saint Eugenios was rebuilt as a basilica in 1291. Saint Eugenious was repaired and enlarged after 1340 by Alexios III».

The church housed the relics of Saint Eugenios and his counterparts; Canidius, Valerianus and Akylas in a silver urn which is located beside the right-hand beam of the temple – where the icon of Saint John Prodromos was located – and the south end of the church towards the arch of the southern apse. From all the treasures and jewels of the church, the only thing that has been saved is a religious manuscript which is housed at the church of Vatopedi in Ayion Oros, Greece. It has amazingly detailed Byzantine graphics. One of these is the cycle of the 12 months – a masterpiece of Byzantine art.