Berlino. Staatliche Museen. Mosaico di S. Michele in Africisco

The apse mosaics of the now demolished church of S. Michele in Africisco from Ravenna. In the apsidal conch a young, beardless Christ appears with a cruciform halo. His right arm is outstretched and he brandishes a large gold-jewelled cross, while with his left hand, he holds an open book with a legible Latin inscription. He is flanked by two winged Archangels, Michael, on Christ’s right, and Gabriel, on Christ’s left. The early Christian medicinal saints Cosmas and Damian are depicted in the spandrels of the arch framing the apse. On the wall above the apse, a bearded Christ is seated on a throne, again holding an open book with his left hand and giving a sign of acclamation or blessing with his right. Here also, he is flanked by two archangels, with the addition of seven angels, that they are sounding trumpets; four angels on his right, and three on his left.