On the southern wall in the second section of the inner narthex of the Chora, stand the mosaics that depict the stick that grows green, indicating Mary as Joseph’s fiance. Here, in front of a dais with a four -columned dome on top stands Zacchariah, holding in his right hand a sceptre with young shoots and buds. Mary shall be engaged to the one, whose stick becomes verdant. The stick that Zacchariah holds in his hand belongs to Joseph. As his stick became verdant, he is chosen as Mary’s fiance. Beside Zacchariah stands Mary with a halo over her head. Against them, stands Joseph, and ten aged members of the church are behind him. Zacchariah will hand over Mary to Joseph as his fiance. As it is widely known, Mary’s father Joachim had promised that if he had a child he would bring and leave that child to the temple. He kept his promise and brought his daughter to the temple. Mary, after serving God in the temple for ten years and reaching approximately the age of 14-15 , the priests in the temple announced that the time for her marriage had come. The candidates for the future , bridegroom shall spend the night at the temple, and the one whose stick becomes verdant and with young shoots, shall be chosen as Mary’s fiance. The candidates assembled in the temple. Finally, the stick of Joseph, who is a carpenter from Nazareth, becomes green with shoots, and he is chosen as Mary’s fiance. This theme is dealt with in the panel of mosaics.
- Architecture
- Attempts by Satan to deceive Jesus
- Blessing of the Virgin Mary
- Consecration by Jesus
- Elizabeth and John flee away
- Fresco of the Anastasis
- Jesus and his ancestors
- Jesus going together with Mary and John
- Joseph and the stick that indicates Mary
- Kariye (Chora) Museum
- King Herod ‘s order for the massacre
- Mary and Joseph bidding each other farewell
- Mary and the child Jesus
- Presentation of the church by Theodore
- The birth of Christ
- The birth of te Virgin
- The death of the Virgin
- The feeding of the Virgin by an angel
- The frescoes of the parecclesion
- The Last Judgement scene
- The mosaics of the apostles St. Paul
- The mosaics of the Khalke Jesus and Mary
- The prayer of Mary and the Angels
- The return of the Virgin Mary and Jesus form Egypt to Nazaret
- The Virgin and the attendant twelve angels
- The Virgin taking the skeins of wool, to weave the veil for the temple
- Three Magi from the East in audience wit
- Virgin Mary’s visit to Bethlehem
- Virgin Mary, Josep and the enrollment for taxation
- Water being turned into wine