The scene depicted on the tympanum of the church at Moissac is a version of the Apocalyptic vision recounted by John in the Book of Revelation. The principle subjects in the remaining sculpture in the south porch are the childhood of Christ, the story of Lazarus and Dives and the punishments of Avarice and Female Unchastity. The unifying concept of the iconographic scheme in this portion of the church can be found in the words that Christ spoke to John in the vision; "Behold, I make all things new." The new Jerusalem, the church established by Christ's suffering and death, is built on the foundations of the old Jerusalem. God remains adamant in his wrath against sinners but Christ offers a true chance of salvation.
The Apocalyptic vision, like the Last Judgment (a frequent subject on Romanesque tympanums), spoke of the wrath of God at the end of time. With either subject the audience would be adequately reminded of the horrors to come if they did not repent their sins and seek salvation in Christ. But the choice of the Apocalyptic subject rather than the Last Judgment also indicates a willingness to conform to the requirements that Revelation placed on the iconographic program. Depictions of the Last Judgment were subject to many restrictions but that subject was far more open to interpretation than the depiction of the Apocalypse which was described in such intensive detail by John. Thus when the Apocalypse is the chosen subject it must be viewed in terms of the elements of the vision that were included and the possible themes that relate to the remainder of the sculptural program. Though at Moissac the representation of the events of the Apocalyptic vision is limited to some of the principal details of John's vision it should be understood that the presentation of the scene implies the remainder of the text of Revelation.
The promise of the various terrors to be visited on the faithless of the earth constitutes t...