holding an open scroll, and on the other a saint in green, with
gold-shot stole and nimbus, but no attribute--both larger than life. The
corners are occupied by the patron saints, Hermagoras and Fortunatus.
Round the apse, just above the patriarch's seat, runs a row of portraits
of bishops of later date, half-lengths, beneath a round-arched arcade on
a gold ground. On the left nave pier, near the door, are the remains of
a painting of S. Helena, who has nimbus, cross, and book. In the centre
of the apse is the ancient patriarch's seat, with an inscription upon
the wall commemorating the ancient supremacy of the see: it is mainly
composed of mutilated ninth-century carved slabs, probably portions of
the chancel of that date. Other slabs with similar designs and portions
of a ciborium are preserved in a little collection of marbles under a
shed behind the apse, where are also several sarcophagi and other
antique fragments.

[Illustration: THE PATRIARCH'S THRONE. CATHEDRAL, GRADO

_To face page 46_]

In the treasury are two early reliquaries of silver, found beneath the
high-altar in August, 1871. One is cylindrical, with a convex lid,
upon which is represented in relief the Virgin enthroned, with the Babe
at her breast. Her right hand holds a cross-headed sceptre, and behind
her head is a nimbus with the usual monogram, [Greek: ME ThT]. The
cylinder has no decoration but two bands of names of saints in Roman
capital letters. These are: "Sanc. Maria, Sanc. Vitvs, Scs. Cassianvs,
Sanc. Pancrativs, Sanc. Ypolitvs, Sanc. Apollinaris, Sanc. Martinvs."
Within is a central cylinder and six compartments radiating from it,
which contained a small cylindrical vase of gold with rings round it, a
little glass flask, closed up and containing water, a little gold box
with crosses and a leaf pattern on the outside, and a cross of
dark-green enamel on the cover, a small slab of chalk or cement with a
Greek cross imprinted on it, and several thin gold plates with the names
of saints upon them. Several of the printed accounts of the discovery of
this treasure say that there were six of these plates in the casket; but
the glass case which encloses it and its contents has eleven, with the
names as follows: "Domna Maria, Scs. Cassianvs, Sc. Martinvs, Sc.
Brancativs, Scs. Troteomvs, Sca. Agnes, Scs. Bitvs, Scs. Apolinnaris,
Scs. Hyppolitvs, Scs. Sabastianvs, Scs. Severvs." Dr. Kandler thought
that it came from the church of S. Niceta in Aqu