The barrel vault that forms the northern arm of the building is decorated
with a sparkling indigo sky, adorned with elegant radiant flowers that
stretch out like a mantle, echoing the words of Isaiah (40,22): “It is he
who stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like
a tent to live in”.
Encased in circles, radiant with gold or crowns of petals, heavenly-white
flowers alternate with red ones. The white flowers resemble daisies,
whose camomile was used on battlefields to soothe wounds. The red
flowers recall anemones, whose Greek name – ànemos, evoking the
soul (anima, in Italian) – symbolises the blood of Christ. This large
miraculous carpet recalls Oriental decorative motifs that spread across
the Mediterranean through silks, carpets and precious metal objects.