Antonio Vivarini
Detail from the Polyptych of the Virgin and Child: St. Nicholas

1449
Porec Basilica, Croatia

St. Nicholas's role as a bishop is signified by the crozier and the pallium. a white band marked with crosses that hangs from the shoulders of archbishops and other prelates But as in most images of St. Nicholas he is without a mitre. Legend had it that he forfeited his mitre and pallium at the Council of Nicea, though in this case he does wear a pallium over his chasuble. The three gold balls are, of course, his primary attribute.

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Photographed at the site by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.