formed, and above these there
is a drum carrying a dome. The apse to the east of the nave is
semicircular within and covered by a semi-dome.

Between that semi-dome and the eastern barrel vault of the nave a break
is interposed, giving the bema arch two orders or faces, with their
external and internal angles rounded off, and the whole surface of the
semi-dome and of the bema arch is covered with mosaic. At one time the
mosaic extended also over the surface of the barrel vault. The
decoration in the semi-dome consists of a large cross in black outline
upon a gold ground; below the cross there are three steps set upon a
double band of green that runs round the base of the semi-dome. A
geometrical border bounds the semi-dome, and then comes the following
inscription, an extract from Psalm lxv. verses 5, 6 (the lxiv. in the
Septuagint version), on the inner face of the arch:

[Greek: (DEUT EI)SOMETHA EN TOIS AGATHOIS TOU OIKOU SOU,
HAGIOS O NAOS SOU THAUMASTOS EN DIKAIOSYNE EPAKOUSON
HEMON O TH[EO]S O S[OT]ER HEMON HE ELPIS
PANTON TON PERATON TES GES KAI TON EN THALASSE
MAK(RA)[N]].

(Come we will go?) in the good things of thy house. Holy is
thy temple. Thou art wonderful in righteousness. Hear us, O God
our Saviour; the hope of all the ends of the earth and of them
who are afar off upon the sea.

The letters enclosed within curved brackets and the accents[141] above
them are paint only; the letters within square brackets are not in the
inscription, but are supplied where evident contractions render that
course necessary. The remaining letters are in unrestored mosaic.

Probably [Greek:(Deut ei) sometha] is a mistake of the restorer for the
word [Greek: plesthesometha] in the original text. 'We shall be filled
with the goodness (or the good things) of thy house.'

Three other geometrical patterns in mosaic succeed, after which follows
a broad wreath of foliage on the outer face of the bema arch and the
words:

[Greek:(HO O)IKODOMON EIS T(ON OIKON SOU KAI) ANABASIN
AUTOU, KAI TEN EPANGELIAN (TOU HAGIOU PNEUMATOS
EU HEMAS ELPEISAMEN EIS TO O)NOMA A(UTOU)].

The mosaic above the crown of the semi-dome has been injured and
restored imperfectly in plaster, paint, and gilt. Hence the large black
patch in it which includes the upper arm of the cross.

The letters enclosed within curved brackets are in paint and are
manifestly the work of a restorer who has spoiled the grammatical
construction