Cancer and the arts: La Madonna dei Tumori, Ravenna, Italy

Correspondence to Dr Wolfgang Wagner; [email protected] Visiting Ravenna, this ancient town near the Adriatic Sea in Italy, cannot be called anything but a feast in culture. From AD 402 to AD 476, it was the capital of the Western Roman Empire. The city and its harbour later became the Italian stronghold of the Eastern Roman Empire (Constantinople/Istanbul). No wonder that busloads of tourists arrive there every day in summer. It is the mosaics of churches and basilicas of the 5th and 6th centuries which attract travellers: San Vitale, the Mausoleo of Empress Galla Placidia, Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Sant’Apollinare in Classe, and the Baptistry of Arian Christians. These hop-on hop-off tours usually stop first at the San Vitale complex. The church of San Vitale was built as a typical example of late Roman–early Byzantine architecture between AD 537 and AD 547. Its interior has become world famous for its mosaic presentations of scenes from the Holy Bible and from the history of Saints and Christian martyrs. On top of all: mosaic portraits of Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora. The tourists go on—they visit the Mausoleum of Empress Galla Placidia (daughter of the Roman Emperor Theodosius the Great; Galla Placida died in AD 450) which was built between AD 425 and AD 430. Again, it is the fantastic mosaics which leave the travellers amazed. Off they go again: either north to Venice or southwest to the wonderful cities of Tuscany, with Florence, Siena and Pienza. I might have done the same last June. However, while strolling out of the San Vitale area, I suddenly saw the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, 50 m from San Vitale. My wife and I had a good and lucky day as we cannot refrain from entering every church, temple and so on we come across on our culture-laden trips: the door was open, and we entered. Santa Maria Maggiore simply looks different. The great and famous Church of San Vitale is a typical ‘orthodox’ church of strictly central orientation, ancient Greek (‘cross’like) style. The church of St Mary (built between AD 521 and AD 534) is a typical Roman basilica stretching from east to west.