Spirituality and history: from St Francis to Theodoric

Summer will also be the time of spirituality and myth. In fact, the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis will be celebrated: the Way that joins Rimini to La Verna will become the ideal route for those seeking a more intimate dimension, touching on the convent of Villa Verucchio where the cypress tree planted, according to tradition, by the Saint in 1213 stands. In Ravenna, the 1500th anniversary of the death of Theodoric, a key figure of the Roman-Barbaric kingdom, will be celebrated. The Mausoleum, with its exceptional monolithic dome, will be the pivot of an enhancement programme connecting the ancient past to the city of mosaics. Finally, in Ferrara, the jubilee year for the Blessed Beatrice II d'Este and the millennium of the Pomposa Abbey (consecrated on 7 May 1026) will add further historical depth to an itinerary that this year will make Emilia Romagna an essential destination for high-profile cultural tourism.