Maria Beatrice Coppi at the ceremony of opening of the academic year of the Academy of Arts of Design

On  October 18th  2016, as every year since its creation in 1563, the Academy of Arts of Design celebrates the feast of St. Luke the Evangelist Holy traditionally regarded by Christians Patron of the Arts and Artists, especially painters, and remembered as the first iconographer who painted images of the Virgin, St. Peter and St. Paul.

In conjunction with the Christian event, it is held the opening ceremony of the academic year at the Art Hall of the Butchers, in via Orsanmichele, 4, Academy headquarters. Cardinal Giuseppe Betori, Archbishop of Florence, also Academician of the Academy of Arts of Design, presided over the solemn Eucharistic celebration in the Chapel of the painters or Chapel of San Luca, the Academy property, located in the cloisters of the Basilica of the Most Holy Annunziata in Florence.

The celebration was accompanied by the music by the ensemble Concentus Vocum that from 2010 returns to San Luca Mass his precious musical tradition and has performed works by Antonio Vivaldi and Maurizio Cazzati, the latter, in particular, marks the 400th year of birth (1616-2016), under the baton of James Crabs. Even the artist Maria Beatrice Coppi was present among the many personalities of culture and art, Italian and international.