Changes After Construction
The church was renovated by Pietro Vitalis after it was damaged in the 1865 earthquake.
Additional structures were built in the complex in 1913 by G. Michelini.
The statue of Pope Benedict XV in the courtyard was installed in 1921.
The cathedral was granted the status of a minor basilica on 18 March 1909.
Featured Highlights
The church belongs to the Latin Catholic Church.
It is the cathedral seat of the Apostolic Vicariate of Istanbul.
The cathedral is dedicated to the Holy Spirit.
The building is in the Baroque style.
Its plan is read as a three-nave basilical arrangement.
There is a historic crypt/burial section beneath the cathedral; the tombs of Julien Hillereau and Donizetti Pasha are also located there.
The painting at the center of the cathedral, on the theme of the “Descent of the Holy Spirit,” was made in 1867 and was presented by Pope Pius IX.
