Description: South gallery. 21 September + feast day
Reference: Opening lines to Matt.1 The book about the generation of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac. Isaac begat Jacob. (Liber g[erationis] Jhesu Christi fili[i] D[avid] fili[i] A[braham]. A[braham] g[enuit] I[saac] I[saac autem genuit Jacob].
Face:
SANCTVS M[ATHEV]S + APOSTOLVS; on book-LEFT PAGE: LIBER | G
IHV | XPI
EILI | D. FI
LI. | A.G.
A | I
Description: South gallery; Inscription is to the side of the tomb
Reference: East face shows the saint preaching on a throne; north face shows his arrest for blasphemy by false witnesses; west shows the saint kneeling in agony; south face shows the discovery of his tomb and his translation to Jerusalem
Description: South gallery; David playing the cithara
Reference: The names of several musicians established by David to sing praises to Yaweh in Jerusalem Temple are found in Scripture. However, these four names are never found together in the same passage, and the instruments attributed to these names are specific to Moissac and not Scripture. Ethan and Eman are names as descendants of Juda (1 Para., 2:6); Asaph is usually shown with a harp, lira, and symbals (I Para, 15:16-17). The rota is a medieval instrument similar to a psalterium.
Face:
NAME
CVM ROTA
Eman with a rota
Face:
ETAN
CVM TIM
PHANO
Ethan with a tambourine
Face:
DAVID CITARAM
PERCVTIEBAT
IN DOMO DOMINI
David striking the cithara in the house of the Lord
Description: South gallery; narrative is depicted on the capital's four faces. Scene of Peter appearing in court before Herod.
Reference: References Acts of the Apostles 12:11. 11th verse forms the introduction to the same feast of Ss. Peter and Paul, as well as the 14th chant of vespers and lauds of the same feasts.
Face:
N[VNC] S[CIO]
V[ERE]
Q[VIA] M[ISIT]
D[OMINVS] A[NGELVM SVVM]
E[T ERIPVIT ME DE MANV]
H[ERODIS]
Now, I truly know that the Lord sent an angel and removed me from the hand of Herod.
Description: East gallery; Nero condemns the apostles to death; Inscription on face
Reference: The phrase, "Saul, Saul…" is from Acts 9:4. The carved scenes depict the well-known Passion narrative for the two apostles, especially that of St. Paul, whose eyes are covered.
Reference: The alphabet may reference the dedication ceremony, in which the alphabet is traced on the floor. However, Psalm 53 is not sung during the dedication ritual.
Medieval liturgists thought that the alphabet signified the intelligence of Scripture, the letter was the same as a soul, and they contain all of knowledge. This explanation is given by Remi of Auxerre, Bruno of Asti, Honorius of Autun, Hugh of St. Victor, and articulated by Sicard of Cremona: Post haec in pavimento duo alphabeta describit [pontifex], per quae utriusque Testamenti scientiam vel sacrae scripturae intelligentiam, scilicet litteram et spiritum intellegimus. Paucae quidem litterae sunt, veruntamen in eis omnis plenitudo scientiae continebatur.
Description: East gallery; Christ kneeling before a basin, preparing to wash the feet of the apostle, Peter; Andrew and Paul included on this face
Reference: Washing of the feet is found in John, 8:1-7. Mandatum is the term for the liturgical ceremony on Holy Thursday. The antiphon for the ceremony is: Mandatum novum do vobis, ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos (John 13-34).
Rupin noted that an article in the statues of Moissac (c. 1331, executed by Abbot Auger de Durfort) stipulated that on Holy Thursday, before the mandatum, 400 poor would be given bread, beans, deniers de Cahors, and sufficient wine.
Description: East gallery; Dives is at the table while Lazarus is at the door. The dogs lick Lazarus's sores.
Reference: LENT: parable constitutes the lecture of the Gospel of the Friday following the second Sunday of Lent, and the two verses of Psalm 53 forms the introduction of the Sunday following the 4th Sunday of Lent
Reference: EPIPHANY: second Sunday of the Epiphany in recommencing the verses 7-9 in particular as the refrain for the benediction and communion. The miracle at Cana is recounted in John 2:1-11.
Face:
no inscription
Face:
ARCITICLINVS MVLIER
master of feast, wife
Face:
VINO VE FATA I
I[n] vino ve[re] fa[c]t[a] [aqua]
Water is truly made into wine
Description: East Gallery; Identification of represented scenes and characters
Reference: Feast Day: 21 Jan. Fructuosus was the bishop of Tarragon, and Eulogus and Augurus were his deacons. They were arrested and burned alive in 259 during Valerian's persecution of Christians. The saints are not frequently venerated in France. However, Moissac had numerous possessions in the diocese of Gerona (Spain) and one of its dependencies in Toulouse was dedicated to St. Fructuosus.
Reference: The inscribed 'n' with a small o above it has been translated by Rupin as nominatus, inspired by Luke 6:13, quos et apostolos nominavit (whom he named apostles).
27 Dec.
Description: North Gallery; Four eagles are carved on the four corners of the capital. The inscription in carved on horizontal bracket (modillon) in the middle of each of the faces.
Reference: The fish is a symbol of Christ (ictus), which formed the initials of Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior. Christ and the apostles were fishers of men. The eagle is a symbol of resurrection.
Description: North Gallery; inscription is on the impost block. South face shows a winged demon carrying a monk
Reference: Capital illustrates two of St. Benedict's miracles. In one a monk is possessed by a demon and Benedict chases the demon out of the monk by beating the monk with his staff. The second miracle is at Monte Cassino, where Benedict overturned an ancient temple to Apollo and dedicated a church to St. John the Baptist in its place [find the miracles in Gregory's Dialogues].
Face:
DOMNVS : PER : ILLVM
Man of God. Benedict struck a monk with a staff, and the Lord healed him through him
Face:
ET : SANAVIT : EVM
Man of God. Benedict struck a monk with a staff, and the Lord healed him through him
Face:
VIR DEI : BENEDICTVS VIRGA
Man of God. Benedict struck a monk with a staff, and the Lord healed him through him
Face:
PERCVSSIT : MONACHVM
Man of God. Benedict struck a monk with a staff, and the Lord healed him through him
Description: North Gallery; inscriptions illlustrates the scenes and identifies the characters. The furnace occupies the central part of the capital. An angel and each of the three Hebrews are shown on the angles of the capital. Their names are inscribed over their heads.
Description: North Gallery; inscription is on impost block. West face shows St. Martin tearing his cloak. The inscription is on the impost block and on a medallion on the west face.
Reference: The source for the inscriptions is the Vita sancti Martini by Sulpice Severus. Martin was the bishop of Tours c. 370-1, and later retired to a monastery in the Poitiers region.
Face:
HIC MARTINVS : ELECTVS
Here Martin elected
Face:
DEI PONTIFEX
Elected pontif of God
Face:
HAC ME VESTE : CONTEXIT
Here with my cloak. He protected
Face:
MARTINVS DIRITVM
(on a medallion in middle of face)
MARTINVS ADHVC CATECVMINVS
Martin divides (his cloak).
Martin still a catechumen.
Description: West Gallery; inscriptions illlustrates the scenes and identifies the characters. North face shows Daniel thrown into the lions' den. Two lions appear on the corners of the capital
Reference: Daniel in the Lions' den is recounted in Daniel 6:7-27. The announcement to the sherpherds is found in Luke 2:8-12. Daniel is considered a prefiguration of the Savior and the Resurrection. He is also the last of the great prophets to predict the birth of Christ (Daniel 9:24).
Description: West Gallery; inscriptions illlustrates the scenes and identifies the characters. West face shows Abel making an agreeable offering to Yawhee. The inscription is over the altar
Reference: The narrative is found in Genesis 4: 2-9.