Dyed in Murex
The Mystery of the Porphyry Codex
In the glorious city of Constantinople, the center of the late Roman Empire and the heart of Orthodox Christianity, a blood-soaked struggle has been raging for more than a hundred years. The Emperor Theophilos (812-842 A.D.) has decided enough is enough: he will put a final end to the veneration of the holy icons and destroy anyone who refuses to abandon this most-revered tradition of the Church. Caught in the middle of this deadly controversy are two young people: the aristocratic Andronikos, son of the ancient Demad dynasty, and the peasant girl Eirini. The pair meet as children and develop a deep bond that is threatened by class prejudice and the machinations of those who would do them harm ... Among those in disagreement with the Emperor is the saintly monk Gerasimos, Andronikos' spiritual father, who will ultimately set Andronikos on a mysterious quest that involves a missing manuscript, the Empress Theodora, and Eirini herself.--Publisher.
