An Aggie's Blog While Abroad: Mosaics, Mosaics, Mosaics.

(July 11, 2012) We went to several churches with mosaics that dated from the 4th century until the 19th century. It was very interesting and only got old towards the end. The 19th century mosaic was however a remaking of the old one, and therefore not so interesting.

Obelisk outside Santa Maria Maggiore.

We first went to Santa Maria Maggiore. It's really a beautiful church and quite large. I was surprised at first by how big it was. This was the church with 4th century mosaics.

Back of Santa Maria Maggiore.

We accidentally met our professor at the wrong side of the church, but she found us eventually so it all worked out.

Front of Santa Maria Maggiore.

Inside of Santa Maria Maggiore

Some floor mosaics.

The floor mosaics really make me kinda sad because they originally belonged to works dating back to the Imperial Roman Empire. I would love to have seen more of those palaces or temples as they would have originally been decorated.

I love these walkways.

There's also a museum underneath the church. It houses many... interesting artifacts from the history of the Church. Including a bunch of relics, some robes and other various items.

Remind you of someone?

Often in Christianity there was a re-purposing of imagery from the previous era. In this case they made the Madonna to look like Pax or Tellus from the Ara Pacis. It's really fascinating that they just re-assigned the same kinds of images to tell a new story.

I personally dislike this. Just sayin'.

Relics, 'nough said.

Quote from my teacher: "Oh my god, they're teeth! How gross! Oh, I suppose I shouldn't say that, it's kind of sacrilegious."

Whip/switch used for voluntary penance.
Outlawed in 1967.

Hammer used to open door for Jubilee year.

After finishing with this church and museum we went to Santa Prassede. This church was built by Paschal the 1st in the 9th century. He was a bit of a self interested pope if you ask me. However he had some interesting ideas involving Iconography. And he chose a very interesting artist who portrayed all of the characters in a very stylized manner.

Santa Prassede

Jesus' handing of the Church to Peter is represented like an emperor handing down a law to his right hand man. This type of scene was depicted for a long while until it was eventually changed to and image of keys, but the main story still shines through.

Jesus handing the Church to Peter.

The elders of the Church are represented to look like Senators. The resemblance is remarkable and must be on purpose.

Elders of the Church.

Notice that the name is Pascal, not Christ?
Yay Popes.

Mosaic floors.

Pope Paschal 1 also included a portrait of himself in the main apse. He is standing at the same height of some of the other saints and has a square halo around his head. This signifies that he was still alive, but likely to go to heaven when he died.

Paschal 1 holding a model of the church.

This stone was said to have been brought back by Helena (Mother of Constantine). Whether or not it is real is debated.

Apparently the rock Jesus
was flogged against.

Jesus and some saints.

Pretty mosaics.

Jesus is represented using a window,
because he is, "the light."

They often use a picture of deer drinking from a stream quoting a beautiful verse from the old testament. Psalms 42:1-2. "1 As a deer thirsts for streams of water, so I thirst for you, God. 2 I thirst for the living God. When can I go to meet with him?"

Popular image on top. Deer drinking waters of life.

This scene is very similar to a plate we studied with a man giving something to an emperor.

Saint presenting something to Jesus.

After this church we had to walk to San Giovanni in Laterano. While walking we spotted the cutest looking bakery I've seen so far. However we didn't have enough time to go in which was really sad.

Upon arriving at Piazza St John the Lateran we went to the Baptistery because we had about 10 minutes until it would be closing.

Another deer that should be drinking water.

Baptismal Font

The design featured below is found on the Ara Pacis and almost every apse we visited. It's crazy how popular this was in Christian churches.

Mosaics, look familiar yet?

These statues are from the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, I wish we could have stayed longer but we had to leave to get to our next class in less than 30 minutes.