The mosaic cycle, with the great story of Man and Salvation, inspired by Genesis, the Gospels and the Apocalypse, concludes with the decorations of the three
apses
, which represent the apex of the ascending path, begun in the
naves
and in the
presbytery
. The iconography of this area depicts the life of Christ, from the moment of His Incarnation to the moment when He returns to bring history to completion. semi-curved surface of the
central apsidal dome
, there is a majestic representation of the great Judge and Redeemer: the
Christ Pantocrator
, who welcomes the faithful with his great embrace and whose image is framed in a sumptuous triumphal arch, in which tondos depicting the prophets are inserted: David, Solomon, Elijah, Samuel, Daniel, Gideon, Nathan, Elisha, and, in the centre, Emmanuel.
In the central part of the vault of the arch,
the Etimasia
, i.e, the empty throne that will welcome Christ, universal judge, at the end of time, as narrated in the Revelation, is represented among angelic choirs. Below the Pantocrator, the
Virgin and Child enthroned
is featured with the Greek inscription panacrontas, i.e, “all immaculate”, flanked by the two archangels Michael and Gabriel and the saints, Peter and Paul.
In this median register, on the northern side, the images of St. Philip, St. Bartholomew, St. Luke, St. James and St. John can be found and, on the southern side, St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Thomas, St. Andrew and St. Simon can be seen.
The images of St. Agatha, St. Anthony, St. Blaise, St. Martin, St. Stephen, St. Peter of Alexandria and St. Clement, pope and martyr, take their place in the lower register of the apse on the northern side. In the southern one, we see St. Sylvester, St. Thomas Becket, St. Lawrence, St. Nicholas, St. Hilary, St. Benedict and St. Mary Magdalene. Among all of them, the presence of
Thomas Becket
, who was not canonised until the 12th century, can be seen. Under the central apsidal basin,
the silver altar
, commissioned by Archbishop Testa in 1771 to Luigi Valadier, takes it place.
The precious artefact is decorated with scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary, composed of eight medallions and, among the candlesticks, the saints that are relevant to the Diocese of Monreale. The two side apses are dedicated to the Apostles Peter and Paul, symbolising the Church and Preaching.
The positioning of these within the space is not canonical: Peter, in fact stands, to the right of the beholder and to the left of Christ Pantocrator. Usually, however, as can also be seen in the
Palatine Chapel
, the apostle was on the right of Jesus. This expedient was used, in Monreale, to grant the first bishop of Rome a position of greater dignity and visibility. The
mosaic cycle
in the
Peter
bay recounts the apostle’s service of fellowship to God, from his release from prison, to his miracles, to his meeting with Peter and his dispute with Simon Magus.
A depiction of him on a throne emerges in the apse’s semi-dome, as he holds a book covered with gems firmly in his hands.
The other apse, to the right of Christ and to the left of the viewer, is dedicated
to the Apostle Paul
, depicted, like Peter, on a throne, holding his book. In this bay, in the numerous mosaics that form the
iconographic cycle
, the various scenes give space and greater importance to the moment of conversation when Saul becomes Paul on the road to Damascus, after the appearance of God. He is the one who will pass on his spiritual teaching through the delivery of the letters.
The scenes of the martyrdom of St Peter and St Paul are not inside the chapels dedicated to them. Instead, they are on the entrance wall of the same bay, specifically because they imitated their master in their martyrdom in this last part of their lives.
The apsidal area is also distinguished by the use of vaults, absent in the rest of the Cathedral, as well as in the eastern part of the sanctuary and in the forepart, which are, instead, covered by
wooden trusses
. The three different types of
vaults
are placed respectively in the
Bema
, in the three semicircular apses and in the rooms in front of them, as they were intended to emphasise the magnificence of the altar and distinguish it from the sacred space reserved for the faithful.
In addition to the central apse and the two lateral ones with their semi-domes, the room in front of the main apse is also characterised by the presence of a
barrel vault
, which creates a sort of link, not only stylistically but also spiritually, with the surrounding space.
