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The Sacello di S. Vittore in Ciel d'Oro

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The figure of St. Victor in the center of the vault.

The saint was a young soldier martyred under Maximian for refusing to sacrifice; as with many other young military saints, very little is known about him, although he may have been a black man. (This mosaic was made 200 years after his time, so should not be taken as a portrait of him: rather a representation of a martyr in glory).

For such fuller information as we have about him, including especially the Acts of his martyrdom, see the St. Victor page of the Roman Martyrs website.

[image ALT: Mosaic: a lion looking very much like a monkey, on a gold background]

The 4 squinches that support the dome represent the 4 evangelists.

[image ALT: Mosaic: Saint Ambrose.]

The walls of this small chapel portray a stately parade of saints.
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These are of some interest since Saint Ambrose, the bishop of this church, is represented not very long after his death: in his case, then, there may be a living memory of what the man actually looked like.

This, on the other hand, is what St. Ambrose looks like now.

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Site updated: 11 Mar 99