The Apse at St. Praxedes: Detail, the Heavenly Jerusalem
This is the summit of the outer arch of the apse. On the left and right angels conduct the elect to the Heavenly Jerusalem, whose open gates are each guarded by an angel. Saints Praxedes and Pudentiana are at the head of the group on the left. The approach of the saints is suggested by the concluding chapter of Revelation: "Blessed are they that wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb: that they may have a right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city" (verse 14). For the angels guarding the gates, see Revelation 21:12, "it had a wall great and high, having twelve gates, and in the gates twelve angels."
Within the structure of the city, the apostles come from left and right offering their crowns to Christ in the center. The offering of the crowns is suggested by Revelation 4:10: "The four and twenty ancients fell down before him that sitteth on the throne, and adored him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne." Saints Praxedes and Pudentiana stand left and right of Christ; Moses and Elijah are inside the city at the far left and right.
Below this band the left and right sides of the arch (not photographed) are populated by multitudes of martyrs carrying their crowns and waving their palm branches.
View further detail photographs of the elect approaching from left and right and of Christ in the center with Saints Praxedes and Pudentiana.
View the whole apse.
Read more about images of SS. Praxedes and Pudentiana.
Photographed at the Basilica of St. Praxedes by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.