This mosaic depicts Christ on a throne with Theodore Metochites presenting a model of the church to Him. Metochites was responsible for the renovation of the church in the period 1315 to 1321 when the mosaics and frescos were created. Around fifty years after the fall of the city to the Ottomans the church was converted into a mosque. Due to the prohibition against iconic images in Islam, the mosaics and frescoes were covered behind a layer of plaster. This and frequent earthquakes in the region have taken their toll on the artwork.
In 1948 a programme of restoration was commenced and the layers of plaster removed. From that time on, the building ceased to be a functioning mosque and in 1958, it was opened to the public as a museum.