Mosaic of Pope Gregory IV

Historical Center

Mosaic of Pope Gregory IV
This splendid mosaic in the apse depicts Christ with Saints Felicissimo, Mark the Evangelist, Pope Mark, Agapetus and  Agnes. The name-saint of the Church is shown presenting Christ to the commissioner of the work, Pope Gregory IV (827-844). Below is Christ and the Twelve Apostles with Christ appearing as the Agnus Dei (the lamb of God) surrounded by twelve sheep.      
THINGS TO KNOW: The figure of Gregory IV has a square about his head instead of a halo: this means that the person depicted was still alive at the time of the work and is not uncommon in mosaics of the Middle Ages (i.e. Santa Prassede).