'Hagia Sophia, Holy Wisdom, who crowns Christ' Merton

She crowns Him not with what is glorious, but with
what is greater than glory: the one thing greater than
glory is weakness, nothingness, poverty.

She sends the infinitely Rich and Powerful One forth
as poor and helpless, in His mission of inexpressible
mercy, to die for us on the Cross. (Merton)

«Wisdom will honour you if you embrace her   she will place on your head a fair garland   she will bestow on you a crown on of glory.» (Proverbs 4:8-9)

HAGIA SOPHIA

§..  One day Father Louis (Thomas Merton) our friend came from his monastery at Trappist Kentucky to bring an ill novice to the hospital in Lexington. (I had known Father Louis since 1955 when I visited him for the first time. Later we printed several of his books.) We had prepared a simple luncheon and I welcomed him to sit with us at table. From when we be sat he had a good view of the triptych on. the chest and he often looked at it. After a while he asked quite abruptly «And who is the woman behind Christ?  said «I do not know;:yet.» Without further question he gave his own answer. «She is Hagia Sophia, Holy Wisdom, who crowns Christ.» And that she was - and is.

— Victor Hammer

"Hagia Sophia Crowning the Young Christ." A line-cut of Victor Hammer's triptych painting of the same title. Courtesy of the Estate of Victor and Carolyn Hammer, and the King Library Press, University of Kentucky.