The Mosaics in the Basilica of Soli, North Cyprus

Soli, in North Cyprus, is not far from Guzelyurt. Soli is an ancient town where you can see the ruins of the marketplace from Greek days, a Roman-era theater, and a Byzantine basilica. Step back in time to learn about Soli in the days not long after Constantine the Great. Meet Georgio. He will explain to you how he makes his mosaics during the last half of the 4th century. And you will also see the impact of Constantine’s changes on his life and times.
 
 "I am Georgio, who made many of the mosaics at your feet. You are in Soli in the north of Cyprus, the town where the Christian St. Mark was baptized by the Apostle Paul. You see, I know my Christian history, though I myself continue to worship our own Cypriot goddess, Aphrodite. Aphrodite was born here and she has seen us through many troubles. It would be horribly rude to forget her now.
 
 "Yes, Constantine made it legal to be Christian, back in 313. I am sure you know the tale. He saw a vision before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in the year before. Milvian Bridge was the most important battle of his career, and he was greatly outnumbered. His men wore the Christian Cross into battle and triumphed. So Constantine owed Christ a favor and stopped the persecution of his followers.
 
 "But let me show you this church. It is patterned after the Roman basilica. Once they were legal, Christians came out of hiding and bought property for a place of worship. They did not want to copy our temples, so they just use the normal plan for any place of public business, the basilica. The large courtyard with its columns is where the not-yet-baptized stand during the ceremonies.
 
 "The baptized Christians stand between the columns in the long part, the nave. The rounded section at the end is the apse. You must imagine the building filled with worshippers in their best and brightest clothing. First come incense bearers, who perfume the church with clouds of sweet smoke. Then the Bishop enters in gorgeous robes, embroidered with gold.

He is followed by candle-bearers and chanters.
 
 "I do not begrudge them their pomp. The old-time Romans had us worship the Emperor himself, but of course nobody really believed he was a god. So now the Emperor is not divine, but rules on behalf of God, and that is more believable.
 
 "In the New Rome, Constantine and his successors elevate men to high status because of their talents. Education and ability have become the best keys to advancement, that and being Christian. Constantine also stabilized the currency.
 
 "But Constantine bound us all to our guilds. My sons must become mosaic artists just as I followed my father. Auxebius has a genuine feel for the art, and I think he can become great. But Markos, Markos hasn’t an artistic bone in his body. I am sending him to school. If he can read and write, he can enter the Imperial service and forge his own place in the world.
 
 "Why do my sons have such emphatically Christian names? I had their mother become Christian. Aphrodite has been good to me, but perhaps the Bishop is right and she is too old to help mankind any longer.
 
 "Enough sad talk! Let me show you how I make pictures with stones. See these squares? They are cut no bigger than my smallest fingernail, all as close as can be to the same size. I use marble and porphyry and many other stones of various colors. I also use tiles made from ceramic, but I do not like them as well as stone. The latest craze is to use pieces of glass. My son, Auxebius, uses them a great deal. I like the glass tiles just for emphasis. But the various powders the glassmakers use give brilliant color, don't they?
 
 "I work in one small section at a time, following the drawing. The squares--we call them tesserae whether they are made of stone, ceramic, or glass--are set directly into this lime cement. Once the picture is complete, I will use more cement to fill all the spaces between the tiles.

Once finished, my picture will last for many, many years under the tread of thousands of feet.
 
 "Is the picture a goose or a swan? No, I am not offended. Of course I can draw a more graceful swan or a more domestic-looking goose. But I did not intend to do that. You see, it is rumored that Theodosius wants to close the last remaining pagan temples. We Cypriots will have no where to honor Aphrodite, who was born here. Some of us older folk have clubbed together to donate this mosaic.
 
 "I told the Bishop it was a goose, a symbol of fidelity in marriage. He approved my sketch. But he is not a well-educated man, nor is he a native of Cyprus. Otherwise he might have seen the goose is very like a swan. The swan, you see, is a symbol of Aphrodite. The dolphins call to mind her birth from the sea. And the fruits remind us how she has kept our island fertile and our people fed all these years.
 
 "When the time comes that we can no longer worship our goddess, we old pagans will stand near this mosaic and bow with the utmost reverence. Even Emperors and Bishops cannot read hearts.
 
 About The Author
 
 
 Jessica I. Jones is a free lance writer working with Cyprus Seaterra. If you have any North Cyprus questions feel free to visit the site at http://www.cyprus-seaterra.com/
 
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