Church of the Holy Siro and Libera

Built in the early 10th century and remodelled in the baroque period, the church stands on the steps of the Roman Theatre cavea.

The decision to build it on the remains of the theatre and its dedication to Saint Syrus is to be attributed to an 8th-century document, the Chronica Sancti Syri. This ancient text identified Saint Syrus with the child who had given Jesus the five loaves and the two fish for the miracle of the feeding of the multitude (John 6, 1-12). According to the Chronica, once an adult, St. Syrus had been sent by Saint Peter to evangelise the Po Valley and, on the road to Pavia, he had stopped in Verona. Here, near the Roman Theatre, he made a miracle. After witnessing the prodigy, many pagans converted to Christianity and the Saint celebrated the first Eucharist with them in Verona, in the year 50 AD, as reported by the famous inscription on the front of the church.

The Confraternity of the Most Holy Body of Christ, founded in 1517, established their seat in the exact place where, according to tradition, the first Eucharist was celebrated, Saint Syrus’s cave. Many artisans and some of the most prestigious Veronese artists belonged to the Confraternity, and they often offered their skills or donated their works to embellish the church. Among them the painters Francesco Morone, Sante Creara, Pasquale Ottino and the most illustrious of them all: Gian Bettino Cignaroli, who was granted the privilege of being buried in the middle of the aisle, where he has rested since 1770.

In the mid 19th century, the church was spared from the demolition planned within the project for the recovery of the Roman Theatre, that was concluded only at the beginning of the 20th century. Once the theatre was completely brought back to light, though, the church found itself isolated from the surrounding neighbourhood,  was incorporated into the archeological Park, and, as an inevitable consequence, was no more used.