The Archangels Raphael and Michael

12th-13th century
Mosaic
Cathedral of the Assumption, Monreale, Sicily

Following the common usage in earlier Eastern iconography, the archangels carry sceptres and are dressed as Byzantine courtiers. Perhaps because of their role as messengers from Heaven to men, their feet stand partly on an earthly terrain and partly on the golden background.

The Greek inscriptions mean "The Arch[angel] Raphael" and "The Arch[angel] Mich[ael]."

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