What I can see

The statue of Patriarch Gregorios V (1746-1821) is 2.5 metres high. It is located in front of the university building and is symmetrical with the statue of Rigas Pheraeos. This symmetry is a strong classicist element. Gregorios is shown standing and looks imposing. He holds the pastoral rod with his left hand and points forward with the right. The rope at his feet symbolizes his death by hanging.

What I can't see

When the Greek Revolution broke out, Gregorios excommunicated the rebels with a lengthy document that declared any revolutionary act as evil. Some historians and religious circles argue that this was done under pressure from the sultan as a political maneuver to prevent a massacre; other historians have directly disputed this claim, because the Patriarchate was an integral part of the Ottoman administration, its role was to keep the Christians subordinate to the sultan and as a traditional institution, it was distinctly against the ideas of the French Revolution. Regardless of Gregorios’ intentions, his stance was criticized strongly by enlightenment leaders, including Korais. Following intense debate and under pressure from extremist Muslim circles, the sultan ordered the massacre of Christians in Istanbul in retaliation and instructed Gregorios to issue a “fatwa” (decree to slaughter Greeks). A denial by Gregorios and his failure to “control” Christians led to his hanging at the main gate of Fanari (the gate remains closed to this day) and the castigation of his corpse, which was eventually thrown in the Keratios Gulf. The execution caused public upheaval in Europe and a rise in philhellenic sentiment and support for the Greek Revolution. The sculpture is a listed monument in situ, as are all remaining sculptures of the Athenian Trilogy.

Info

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Bibliography