ETH.KO. Voluntaries for Constantinople
The church of Saints Constantine and Helen with its tall free-standing bell tower, seen from the street
Image credit: Özgür Arda BAYRAM, Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Samatya – Kumkapı

The Saints Constantine and Helen Orthodox Church, Samatya

Koca Mustafa Paşa Samatya Aya Konstantin Rum Ortodoks Kilisesi Vakfı

A Rum community foundation (vakıf) in Samatya.

Official name
Koca Mustafa Paşa Samatya Aya Konstantin Rum Ortodoks Kilisesi Vakfı
District
Samatya
Type
Church
Status
Unknown
Founded
1805
Location
Map (OpenStreetMap)

The earliest known reference to the church of Saints Constantine and Helen in Samatya dates from 1563. The present church was built in 1805 with contributions from the Orthodox residents of İmrahor and the surrounding area, and according to an inscription in the narthex it opened for worship on 6 April 1805. Its bell tower and bell were made in 1903 with donations from local residents. According to Reşad Ekrem Koçu’s İstanbul Ansiklopedisi, the courtyard contained rooms for the church staff and a primary school.

The information on this page is documented by the sources listed at the end.

Sources

  1. Rum Vakıfları Derneği — Vakıflarımız
  2. Σύνδεσμος Υποστήριξης Ρωμαίικων Κοινοτικών Ιδρυμάτων — Τα βακούφια μας
  3. İstanbul ve Çanakkale illerinde faaliyette bulunan Rum Ortodoks ibadethaneleri — Κατάλογος των ιερών λατρευτικών χώρων Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, Ίμβρου και Τενέδου
  4. ΚΟΙΝΟΤΗΤΑ ΑΓΙΩΝ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΕΛΕΝΗΣ ΥΨΩΜΑΘΕΙΩΝ — rumvader.org
  5. Koca Mustafa Paşa Samatya Aya Konstantin Rum Ortodoks Kilisesi Vakfı — rumvader.org
  6. Ayios Kostantinos Rum Ortodoks Kilisesi — İstanbul Ansiklopedisi (Reşad Ekrem Koçu), vol. 3 — built 1805 with contributions of local residents; bell tower 1903; rooms and school in the courtyard
  7. Chiesa dei Santi Costantino ed Elena a Samatya — Wikipedia (it) — narthex inscription, opening 6 April 1805 (citing Eva Şarlak); coordinates; revision 2026-10-12
  8. Strolling Through Istanbul (H. Sumner-Boyd & J. Freely), as quoted on Commons category 'Greek Orthodox church of SS Constantine and Helen (Fatih)' — earliest recorded reference 1563

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