21- Deesis Mosaic
Deesis Panel, is one of most inspiring mosaics in Chora Church. This enormous deesis scene includes Christ and Mary but not John the Baptist. Mary is praying for forgiving the sins of humanity.
Christ with a nimbus over his head is depicted as signing benediction with his right hand, and holding his cloak with the left one. You can see the effects of realism in tesserae.
Since this panel reminded the one on the Chalke Gate of the Great Palace, it is also called as ‘’Chalkite Christ’’.
Deesis Mosaic in Chora
On each side, there are also two depictions of a lady and an important person. The lady is Maria Palaiologina, the daughter of Micheal Palaiologos. When she went to Mongolia to get married with Hulagu Khan, she was found him dead and instead him, she married to his son, Abhaka who died also after a while Princess Maria was sent to Constantinople and devoted herself to God. She became a nun and helped others for the rest of her life. Her wish to be buried in Chora didn’t come true.
The man with the crown is Isaac Comnenus – the third son of Alexios I Comnenus. After he had been sent to exile by his brother, for 6 years, he returned to Constantinople. He made great contributions to rebuilding the Chora Church and initially he was buried there.
However, his tomb was transferred Cosmosoteria Monastery later.
22- The Miracles of Christ
22-1 On this pendentive, Christ’s miracle of healing is depicted. He is healing the mother in law of St. Peter, one of his apostles.
22-2 In this mosaic, there are two blind men under a tree healed by Christ.
Two blind men under a tree healed by Christ.
22-3 This mosaic panel is mostly destroyed. However, we can realize Christ by his blue purple garments front of a leprose man who is almost naked with brown spots on his body.
22-4 On this scene, man is showing his diseased arm to Christ. Christ stepping forward is blessing the sick man.
22-5 In this scene, Christ is depicted as caught by a sick woman on bended knees. She is suffering from a disease.
