One side shows the Mother of God (Theotokos) on the left and the emperor Justinian on the right, standing, in frontal pose, both holding a model of the church of Saint Sophia. Around the perimeter is the inscription “Most Holy Mother of God, please help us”. On the other side the inscription continues “the god-fearing presbyters and defenders of the Chistian Church (Ecdics)”.

The lead seals of Ecdics of Hagia Sophia were among the most beautiful, as their large size, usually up to 10 cm in diameter provided greater space for the artist to develop the traditional subject of Justinian offering the church of Hagia Sophia to Theotokos that remained the same since the reign of Justinian to the Palaeologian period.