With This Sign Conquer: History of the Great Church of Constantinople - Softcover

With This Sign Conquer carries readers on a journey through the past to explore the history and status of the Church of Constantinople, or, as it is more commonly known, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. It closely and carefully analyzes the political, social, and ecclesiastical forces that shaped this religious body of power over time and examines how it came to hold an enduring “primacy of honor” as the “first among equals” within the hierarchy of the world’s Eastern Orthodox churches.

Incredibly comprehensive, this text reaches back more than four centuries to trace the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s path, from its rise under the Early Christian Roman Empire, through its apogee under the Byzantine Empire and persecution during the Ottoman Turkish conquests, to its position in modern times. Along this path, the church had to deal with a variety of theological and religious questions as well as face pressing political considerations, all of which shaped its perseverance and preservation of power—despite the odds and noticeable decrease in followers throughout the ages.

A must-read for anyone seeking fresh insight on Greek, Ottoman, or Christian history.

Theodore G. Karakostas is a longtime student and master of history who has comprehensive knowledge of, and strong passion for, matters pertaining to the Orthodox Church, Greece, and the Byzantine and Ottoman empires. He has written extensively on these subjects, including his collection of essays, In the Shadow of Hagia Sophia.

Karakostas now celebrates the release of his most recent title, With This Sign Conquer. A fresh and revealing text, it thoroughly explores the political, social, religious, and ecclesiastical histories of the Eastern Orthodox Church of Constantinople, uniquely bringing together two particular aspects of its history that are often kept separate.