E05292: Mosaic on the triumphal arch of the church of S. Lorenzo fuori le mura on the via Tiburtina, Rome, with Christ flanked by the Apostles *Peter and *Paul (S00036 and S00008), who are in turn flanked by *Laurence/Laurentius (deacon and martyr of Rome, S00037), presenting to Christ Pope Pelagius II holding a model of the basilica, and *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030) presenting *Hippolytus (martyr of Rome, S00509). 579/590.

The scene shows a bearded Christ, with nimbus enclosing a cross, purple robes, and sandals, seated on an orb, holding a staff ending with a cross in his left hand, and stretching his right hand in a gesture of blessing. He is flanked by two men in white garments with plain nimbi. The person shown to the left of Christ is holding a similar staff with a cross, has a greyish-white beard and hair, and is labelled SCS PETRVS/'Saint Peter'. The person to the right is identically dressed but has no cross, and has a black beard. He is labelled SCS PAVLVS/'Saint Paul.

The three central figures are surrounded by four others. To the right of Paul, we see two men dressed in white, with nimbi. One of them, a beardless young man, is holding an open book with the following inscription: adesit anima mea/'my soul followeth'. He is labelled SCS STEPHANVS/'Saint Stephen'. Next to him there is a depiction of a bearded man bearing a golden crown with colourful jewels. He is labelled SCS YPPOLITVS/'Saint Hippolytus'.

To the left of Peter, there is an image of a young man with short beard and hair, and a nimbus, significantly taller than the other figures, wearing a golden robe, and holding both an open book and a cross in his left hand. In the book we read: Dispersit, dedit pauperibus/'He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor'. This figure is labelled SCS LAVRENTIVS. Immediately to the left of him we see a man dressed in white, with a stole or an omphorion decorated with crosses, and shoes different from the sandals worn by the others. He is stretching his hands towards Christ, offering him a small model of the basilica. He is labelled PELAGIVS EPISC/'Bishop Pelagius'.

At both ends of the scene are images of two walled cities. The one at the left-hand end has a cross hung in its gateway, flanked by two hanging jewels (?). Within the gateway there is an inscription: +HIERVSALEM/'Jerusalem'. The one at the right-hand end is very similar in appearance, but is described as +BETHLEEM/'Bethlehem'.

On the triumphal arch we read: + marty[rium flammis  o]lim levvita subisti  iure tuis templis  lux ben[erand]a redit  / 'Martyrdom with flames you a priest once endured. Justly does venerable light return to your temple' (trans. F. Watson).