In Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, stands Hagia Sophia, or the Church of Holy Wisdom.
Its history is a colourful one.
It has been a Christian church, an Islamic mosque, a state museum, and is now a mosque again.
Whether church, mosque, or museum, the building features extraordinary decorations.
A magnificent example is the mosaic in the south gallery, known as the Deesis mosaic.
Deesis is a Greek word meaning adoration, prayer or intercession.
The mosaic depicts Christ Pantocrator, with Mary and St John the Baptist.
My trusty Oxford dictionary defines a mosaic as “a picture or pattern made by placing together small pieces of glass, stone, etc. of different colours.”
The Deesis mosaic, two and a half times life size, is somewhat damaged. Still, enough remains to wonder at the skill of those who created it.
I have had the good fortune, and indeed the wondrous pleasure, of spending some time with this mosaic.
Each little piece seems so insignificant. One is bright red, another cold blue or dull green, another warm purple, another sharp yellow, another shining gold.
Some look precious, others ordinary. Some look valuable, others worthless. Some look gaudy, others delicate.
As individual stones, we can do little with them except compare them and judge their beauty and value.
Reflecting on the face of Christ in this mosaic, I returned to the reality before me: each colour is individual, yet each contributes to the face of Christ.
Then I realised that here is not only the face of Christ, but the Body of Christ.
Today we celebrate the feast of All Saints.
Today we remember all who have allowed the Body of Christ to shine truthfully in our world.