Christianity played a significant role in influencing art by establishing new architectural materials, construction features, and elements into their designs. The Christian architectural designs’ similarities and differences will be explored, with an emphasis put on the symbolic significance of the church’s history.

The Basilica of Sant’ Apollinare Nuovo is a Byzantine architectural style church elected by King Ostrogoth as his palace chapel but was later dedicated to ‘Christ the Redeemer.’ in the 5^th century.A modification of the atrium and apse happened recently, but the original mosaics on its lateral walls and twenty-four columns are still in good condition (Josef). The upper cycles of the wall art contains a classical art style, while the lower cycle was modified to feature a Byzantine-style. The change in art form signifies the shift in political and religious affiliation at the time. Byzantine forces defeated the Goth, and one way they erased the influence of the former rule was by changing the “barbaric” orthodox culture from the walls of the church, and replacing it with “more saintly” catholic art. (Urbano 78, 82- 83). Santa Constanza is circular, with a central dome surrounded by an ambulatory and also veneers on its walls (Josef). Santa Constanza was built as a mausoleum for Constantine’s daughter but later dedicated as a church. The church’s late Roman designs and art are significant, as they show the emergence of the Roman Catholic Church corruption through pagan practices (World Heritage Encyclopedia).

Both Basilica of Sant’ and Santa Constanza are good examples of early Christian art and architecture in Italy.

The Church of Our Lady of Zion in Ethiopia, the Church of St. George in Bulgaria, and Echmiadzin Mother Cathedral in Armenia are magnificent pieces of architecture that lay outside Rome. The construction of the Church of Our Lady occurred during emperor Ezana’s rule and is rumored to house the Ark of the Covenant (Josef).The Church of Our Lady is similar to Echmiadzin Mother Cathedral, as both incorporate an Armenian architectural style.Additionally, both churches’ incorporate Orthodox influence, with the design akin to muslim architecture, the symbolic significance of these designs is that it showed the ethinic and cultural practices of the Eastern Orthodox church in the region.However, the latter deviates from the Church of Our Lady’s rectangular plan by integrating a cruciform plan with a central cupola, four projecting apses, and free-standing piers. Echmiadzin Mother Cathedral is the first church built in Armeniain the year 303 ADand is considered to be the world’s oldest cathedral (Josef).Deviating from the Church of Our Lady and Echmiadzin Mother Cathedral, the Church of St. George uses Roman architecture, and it incorporates a square base and a cylindrical, domed structure; its fame comes from its frescoes. Echmiadzin Mother Cathedral is significant as it was a testament to Christianity being the Armenian official language (“The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin”). While the Church of Our Lady of Zion in Ethiopia and Echmiadzin Mother Cathedral incorporate Armenian architectural styles with differences existing only in the plan design, the Church of St. George is an excellent example of Roman architecture outside of Italy.

The stylistic choices in early Christian art and architecture was influenced by the theological affiliation at the time of building. The most dominant designs were Byzantine and Roman. The former architectural and art form represented Orthodoxy beliefs, while the latter reflected the Catholic religious beliefs and motifs. The early Christian art and architecture has helped modern civilization to understand better the history of the church from the 2^nd century onwards.

Works Cited

Josef. “25 Incredible Examples of Early Christian Architecture.” List25, 18 Nov. 2017, list25.com/25-incredible-examples-early-christian-architecture/2/.

“The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.” The Armenian Church, 10 Feb. 2017, armenianchurch.us/essential_grid/holy-etchmiadzin/.

Urbano, Arthur. “Donation, Dedication, and Damnatio Memoriae: The Catholic Reconciliation of Ravenna and the Church of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo.”Project Muse, vol. 13, no.1, 2019, pp. 71-110, www.academia.edu/1801310/Donation_Dedication_and_Damnatio_Memoriae_The_Catholic_Reconciliation_of_Ravenna_and_the_Church_of_SantApollinare_Nuovo\. Accessed 13 February 2019.

World Heritage Encyclopedia. “Santa Costanza.” Project Gutenberg, www.gutenberg.cc/articles/santa_costanza. Accessed 13 February 2019.

 
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