Elder of the Apocalypse

This elder, shown holding a chalice and a stringed instrument, adorned an arch above the portal of a French church. The figure is based on a passage in Revelations, St. John the Evangelist's account of the Apocalypse (the events at the end of time): "In a circle about his [God's] throne were twenty-four other thrones, and on them sat twenty-four elders, robed in white and wearing crowns of gold." Apocalyptic scenes often adorned the church entryways, reminding Christians of their anticipated journey from the earthly realm into the divine following death. Elders like this one were placed within the arch like the spokes of a wheel. The widths and poses were varied to correspond to the shape and position of their respective sections.