The Basilica of Sant'Eufemia () is a

minor basilica Basilicas are Catholic church buildings that have a designation, conferring special privileges, given by the Pope. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectura ...

Grado Grado may refer to: People * Cristina Grado (1939–2016), Italian film actress * Jonathan Grado (born 1991), American entrepreneur and photographer * Francesco De Grado (fl. 1694–1730), Italian engraver * Gaetano Grado, Italian mafioso * Grad ...

Friuli-Venezia Giulia Friuli-Venezia Giulia () is one of the 20 regions of Italy and one of five autonomous regions with special statute. The regional capital is Trieste on the Gulf of Trieste, a bay of the Adriatic Sea. Friuli-Venezia Giulia has an area of and a ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

, formerly a

cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

. It is dedicated to

Saint Euphemia Euphemia (; 'well-spoken f), known as Euphemia the All-praised in the Eastern Orthodox Church, was a virgin martyr, who died for her faith at Chalcedon in 303 AD. According to tradition, Euphemia was martyred for refusing to offer sacrifices t ...

History

The present basilica stands on a fourth century basilica, of which not much is known. Although some features are still visible. It was ordered built by Elijah, Archbishop of Aquileia, some time in the sixth century, during his retreat from the invasion of the

Lombards The Lombards () or Longobards () were a Germanic peoples, Germanic people who conquered most of the Italian Peninsula between 568 and 774. The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written betwee ...

. After, Elijah proclaimed himself patriarch and dedicated the church to

. During the sixth through early seventh century the basilica was the seat of the pro-Roman and pro-Byzantine branch of the church until the formation of the

patriarchate of Grado The Patriarchate of Grado, also known as the Patriarchate of New Aquileia, was an episcopal see and ecclesiastical province in northeastern Italy, centered in Grado, on the northern coasts of the Adriatic Sea. It was created as a result of an in ...

. Due to the suppression of the Grado patriarchate by the Venetians it lost the title of cathedral in 1451, but shortly after in 1455 the bell tower was built, possibly to compensate for this. Alterations to the church were made in the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, although these were partly removed in twentieth century restorations.

Features

Much of the fame of the basilica comes from the incredibly well preserved sixth century floor mosaics that decorate the basilica, as it is extremely rare to find the original floor mosaics preserved in an early Christian basilica. Features from the fourth century basilica are visible in the nave, including a visible fragment of its floor mosaics and a Corinthian capital. The bell tower is topped with a cast copper weathervane statue of

Archangel Michael Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second ...

, which has become a symbol of the city. The apse is decorated with a thirteenth century

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, a Germanic people **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Gothic alphabet, an alphabet used to write the Gothic language ** Gothic ( ...

fresco of Christ enthroned. On the left side of the central nave stands a tall hexagonal pulpit, which is adorned with thirteenth century sculptured decorations. Next to the basilica complex is an octagonal baptistery which is also adorned with sixth century floor mosaics and contains a large marble dipping basin. The basilica is mostly built from shells mixed with sand.

Gallery

Ambo der Sant'Eufemia.JPG, Ambo of the Sant'Eufemia Kanzel der Sant'Eufemia in Grado.JPG, Pulpit of the Basilica Sant’Eufemia (Grado), Fresko.JPG, Gothic fresco of Jesus, in the apse

References

Links

Profile
retrieved 24 February 2016.

Sources

* Rentetzi, Efthalia, 2008: ''Un'inedita figura di pesce. Parentele stilistiche tra i mosaici pavimentali di s. Maria delle Grazie e s. Eufemia a Grado'', in

'

Bibliography

* Bisconti, F., 2000: ''Temi di Iconografia Paleocristiana''. Città del Vaticano * Bovini, G., 1973: ''Grado Paleocristiana in Archeologia Cristiana''. Bologna * Farioli, R., 1975: ''Mosaici Pavimentali dell'alto Adriatico e dell'Africa settentrionale in età bizantina'', in ''Antichità Altoadriatiche'', vol. V. (paleocristiana). Ravenna * Farioli, R., 1975: ''Pavimenti musivi di Ravenna''. Ravenna * Rentetzi, Efthalia, 2009: ''Un frammento inedito di S. Eufemia a Grado. Il pavimento musivo del Salutatorium'', in ''Arte Cristiana'', n. 850 (January–February) 2009, Vol. XCVII, pp. 51–52 * Trovabene, Giordana, nd: ''Il salutatorium del vescovo Elia nella cattedrale di Grado : nuove considerazioni sul mosaico pavimentale'', in ''Atti del XV colloquio dell'Associazione Italiana per lo Studio e la Conservazione del Mosaico'', pp. 41–52 * ''Guida rossa: Friuli-Venezia Giulia''. Milano: Touring Club editore, 1999, pp. 505–508. {{DEFAULTSORT:Eufemia Grado Former cathedrals in Italy Churches in the province of Gorizia Minor basilicas in Friuli-Venezia Giulia