Monreale cathedral, apse mosaics, St. Clement, pope and martyr
St. Clement stands just to the left (north) of the central window in the lower register of the apse at Monreale cathedral. Clement was bishop of Rome at the end of the first century and he is traditionally thought to have been the third successor of St. Peter. He was venerated as a martyr. He was the author of a pastoral letter, on behalf of the church of Rome, to the church of Corinth which was suffering from internal conflicts. The letter was later seen as early evidence of the authority of the bishops of Rome – the future popes – over other churches. He is paired with St. Silvester – on the other side of the window – a fourth-century pope believed in the Middle Ages to have received extensive political and ecclesiastical authority from Emperor Constantine through the (forged) Donation of Constantine. Together, the importance of the two popes attests to the close relationship of King William II of Sicily with the papacy.
Date: 1180s
D'Emilio photo archive no. s19780913_1989uGalleries:Italy 1180s, Mosaic, Mosaics, interior, Monreale cathedral, St. Clement, pope and martyrKeywords:St. Clement, martyr, pallium, pope, tonsurePhotographer: Dr. James D’EmilioDate of Photo:Device Make: NikonDevice Model: Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 5000 EDOriginal Dimensions: 3562×5254Picture Orientation: PortraitGPS Coordinates:Picture Number: 22089
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