Basilica dello Spirito Santo

The Basilica of the Santo Spirito in Ravenna began as the cathedral of Theodoric's Arian court, dedicated as Hagia Anastasis. Its sixth-century columns and marble ambo remain within a three-aisled building later adapted for Catholic worship and now cared for by a Romanian Orthodox community.

Why it matters

The basilica preserves a rare material link to the confessional history of early medieval Ravenna. Its original Arian dedication changed after the Byzantine reconquest, when Archbishop Agnello rededicated it to Catholic worship under Saint Theodore. The church continues to serve a living congregation, connecting its early medieval origins with Ravenna's present religious communities.

What to notice

Inside the three-aisled hall, two rows of seven columns survive from the Theodoric era, despite later rebuilding. The sixth-century Greek-marble ambo is carved with crosses set on globes and shell-topped niches. The polygonal apse can be read from outside; its original mosaics have not survived.

Context and history

The church was built for the Arian community of Theodoric's court under the name Hagia Anastasis. Following the Byzantine reconquest, Archbishop Agnello rededicated it to Catholic worship as Saint Theodore. A later legend associates the present Holy Spirit dedication with a miracle of doves. The Theatines held the basilica from 1607 to 1797. Its floor was raised by about two metres to address subsidence, and the building underwent further restoration after wartime damage.