Jesus' Entry into Jerusalem

12th century, with later modifications
Mosaic
Palatine Chapel, Palermo, Sicily

This is not the only image in which the welcomers are seen removing their clothes, but it is surprising to see a man with nothing on below his neck. Otherwise, the image is quite conventional, with clothes and olive branches for the path, Jesus on an ass followed by his disciples, and a throng greeting him at the gate of the city. His right hand blesses the crowd, as is conventional, and his left holds a scroll similar to the one held by St. Peter on his left.

The inscription Ή ΒΑΗΦώΡΟϹ, he bai[o]phoros "the palm-carrying," is the Orthodox name for the feast of Palm Sunday, the sixth Sunday of Lent, when congregants carry palms to celebrate the day of Christ's entry into Jerusalem.

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