Germigny-des-Prés Church

This beautiful and unique composition has no parallel in France and was almost certainly done by an artist from the East; perhaps he had fled west to escape the iconoclasts of that period. The mosaic is made of glass cubes and colored stone, primarily in the colors of gold, black and blue. Its composition is highly symmetrical and quite beautiful. The style shows similarities with mosaics in Greece, Jordan and the 5th-century Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome (which, notably, Theodulf had visited just a few years earlier).

The subject of the mosaic is unique, centering on the Ark of the Covenant. At the top center is a small area of starry sky, from which the Hand of God descends. Two large angels flank the scene. Their flowing robes flapping in the wind, they enclose the starry sky with their joined wings and look down at the Ark. Two smaller angels stand lightly atop the Ark, also looking and reaching down to it. The Ark of the Covenant is shown as a gold box with side rails for carrying. Along the bottom of the mosaic is a Latin text, which reads:

ORACLUM SCM ET CERUBIN HIC ASPICE SPECTANS ET TESTAMENTI EN MICAT ARCA DEI
HAEC CERNENS PRECIBUSAQUE STUDENS PULSARE TONANTEM THEODULFEM VOTIS IUNGITO QUAESO TUIS

"See and contemplate the holy oracle with its cherubim and the resplendent ark of the divine testament.
Before this spectacle, strive to touch the Master of Thunder with your prayers; and, I pray of you, remember Theodulf in your prayers."