The Apsidal Arch at Santa Maria Maggiore: Right Side
5th century
Mosaic
Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome
In the top register we see the Presentation in the Temple on the left (Luke 2:22-28) and on the right the dream in which St. Joseph is warned to take the child into Egypt (Matthew 2:13).
The second register is usually taken to represent the story in The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew in which the family is welcomed by Aphrodisius, the governor of the Egyptian city of Sotinen.
In the third register the Magi consult with King Herod (Matthew 2:1-6). This corresponds to a mosaic of the Adoration of the Magi on the left side.
The bottom register represents the town of Bethlehem, corresponding to the image of Jerusalem directly opposite on the left side.
Follow this link for the left side of the arch or this link to view the entire arch.
Read more about images of the Presentation in the Temple.
Read more about images of the Flight into Egypt.
Photographed at the basilica by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.