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This artistic and architectural gem is housed within what is now the Archbishop's Museum of Ravenna. It has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it is the only surviving example of an early Christian archiepiscopal chapel. Its mosaics are of great interest, as they can be interpreted as anti-Arian in nature.
The heart of Orthodoxy
The Chapel of St Andrew, also known as the Archbishop’s Chapel, was built under Bishop Peter II in the 6th century, during the extension of the Episcopate. It was the oratory reserved for Orthodox Catholic bishops at the time of the Arian King Theodoric, whose creed denied the divine nature of Christ. All the decorations can be interpreted as a tribute to Orthodox Christianity as the true, unique and right path to Salvation. Originally, the chapel was dedicated to Christ, but from the mid-6th century, it was dedicated to St Andrew, when Maximian brought the Apostle’s relics there from Constantinople.
The mosaics: a tribute to Christ and his divine nature
The rectangular vestibule, with its barrel vault and decorated with dazzling mosaics, welcomes us with the figure of Christ. Dressed like a victorious soldier, wearing a breastplate, he is a depiction unique in all early Christian art. Christ tramples the heads of a lion and a fearsome serpent, which here symbolise heresy. The ceiling is decorated with countless enamel tesserae that form a pergola, brought to life by white lilies and red flowers, dotted with various species of colourful birds, both exotic and native to the region. Each bird has a specific religious and symbolic meaning: for example, parakeets symbolise eloquence, while peacocks represent eternal life.
The oratory proper, which is compact in size, captivates us with the dazzling beauty of its gold tesserae, which shimmer in the light. We see four majestic angels holding the monogram of Christ, flanked by the symbols of the Evangelists. The faces of Christ, the Apostles, and the male and female saints on the soffits lend solemnity and majesty to this ancient celebration of the Orthodox faith.
P.za Arcivescovado, 1, 48121 Ravenna RA, Italy
