St. John Chrysostom Mosaic – Where and How to See It

St. John Chrysostom (“golden‑mouthed”) helped shape the Byzantine liturgy and sermons that animated the great church below. His portrait on the northern tympanum keeps that voice present in stone and glass.

Where to Look

• From the upper gallery, scan the opposite northern tympanum niches. Ironwork and distance partially obstruct views, but profiles and inscriptions remain visible.

A Compact Biography

• Bishop of Constantinople, famed for piercing homilies on ethics and charity.
• Exiled amid court controversies; later revered as a Doctor of the Church in the East and West.

Iconography Notes

• Crisp, intelligent gaze; high forehead; diaconal or episcopal vestments with cross motifs.
• Scroll or book may indicate his role as teacher and preacher.

Reflection & Photo Tips

• Read the image as part of a choir of teachers facing the space of worship.
• Use a longer focal length from the gallery; rest elbows on the rail to stabilize.

Image Highlights

Bottom Line

The mosaic remembers a voice: challenging, consoling, and still addressing the faithful across the nave.