Saint Esprit Cathedral
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.
Prominent Features:
- 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.
