Week 6 Class 225

St. Paul’s Outside the Wall Mosaic Apse:

According to Georgina Masson's "The Roman Form," explains that "Later basilicas often had one or more apses in the side or end walls, like the last to be built in Rome, begun by Maxentius and clompleted by Constantine." (17) Masson goes on to explain that "The building in Rome today which gi ves us the clearest picture of what the interior of these ancient basilicas was like is the Christian on of San Paolo fuori le Mure." (17)

The mosaic of the Apse iconography and treatment are of Byzantine tradition. During the second Vatican Council, Pope Paul VI referred to this mosaic that displays the Christ Pantocrator. Pantocrator translates to “’Almighty’ or ‘All-powerful’. The meaning is derived from the Greek word Pantokrator that means all and the noun ‘strength’ (kpatos)….Another more literal translation is ‘Ruler of All’ or, less literally, ‘Sustainer of the World.’” (Wikipedia) Christ Pantocrator can be identified by the tunic and drapes that Christ wears; his right hand makes the sign of a blessing and the left holds a “very thick Gospel-book with a cover adorned with jewels and precious stones. The eyes are not alike in size and shpe, the mouth is asymmetrical with a melancholy expression, the rather short beard has an inward curve and the hair falls back over the left shoulder.” (Wikipedia) However, according to The Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Christ’s right hand point to the IC XC the first and last letters of in the names “Jesus” and “Christ” in the Greek form that are above his head. The book goes on to explain that the “Three fingers” pointing up “symbolize the Trinity, and the other two fingers pinched together symbolize “Christ’s double nature – divine and human.”
To the right of Christ is Paul, his name is the only name written in both Greek and Latin. On his left, you see Peter and his brother Andrew; they were the first to be called by Christ. At Christ’s foot, is a representation in white of Pope Honorius III; he commissioned the mosaic.

In Christ’s hands, an open scroll proclaims the words of the Last Judgment and the scrolls in Peter and Paul’s hands proclaim their faith. The unrolled scrolls seen in the hands of the apostles in the smaller mosaic below the large mosaic of Christ with Paul, Peter and Andrew is a verse of the “Gloria,” the hymn praising the Blessed Trinity.