The Chora parekklesion as a space of becoming

In this thesis church space is examined as a product of the material and conceptual interactions between architecture, painting, symbolism and the faithful. In order to study the conditions and factors that shape church space, I undertake a case study that examines the space of the Chora, a Byzantine monastery situated in Istanbul, Turkey, as a product of the intersection between art, symbolism, and the faithful. The parekklesion of the Chora (1316-1321) is explored within the context of its architectural and iconographic design, its symbolic function, and in relation to the way that the faithful experienced their presence within it. In addressing issues related to the experience of church space by the faithful, I problematise a reading of space as γίγνεσθαι – a realm of becoming – and engage with questions that address the involvement of the body – material and conceptual – in the process of producing space and meaning. The concept of church space as an interactional realm of becoming is understood as closely linked to a perception of church as a space in between that unites the human and the divine in a ‘heaven on earth’ and facilitates communication between them. In addressing the complexity of experiencing church space, this study challenges views of space as an empty medium and attempts to establish links between church space as an intermediate domain of becoming and the philosophical concept of chora.