Christophoros, "the most insignificant" metropolitan bishop of Kyzikos, 9th century. Seal (Lead, 24 mm, 7.69 g, 12 h). +ΘЄOTOK' - [BO]HΘ, TⲰ CⲰ Δ૪Λ' ("Mother of God, help your servant") The Mother of God “Hodegetria”, nimbate, holding Christ on her left arm. Rev. +XPICT/OΦOPⲰ ЄΛ/AXICT' MHT/POΠOΛ' KV/ZIKOV+ in five lines. Unpublished in the standard references. An important seal of an early Byzantine prelate with a splendid depiction of the Mother of God on the obverse. Some cracks along the channel and a scrape on the obverse, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.


It was a widespread convention for Byzantine clergy to use terms of humility in their seal legends, expressing they were "humble" or even "worthless" sinners. Our Christophoros also uses such a term: "elachistos", meaning the least, smallest, or most insignificant