What is this show about a lion statue in (probably) Venice?

I barely remember this show/movie since I only saw it when I was very young, but I seem to remember it was a television series rather than a movie. I’m not even sure of the genre, but I suppose it could be called fantasy, if just barely.

The only thing I definitely remember about it is that there was a statue of a lion holding a book (presumably the Lion of Saint Mark) that was somehow special. As far as I remember, once every century, or something like that, a page in the book would turn, and something special would happen (possibly only to those who saw it).

I’m pretty sure I saw it on television some time in the mid- to late eighties. All I remember is a young boy/man looking up at the statue, and a shot of the statue with a turning page. I’m pretty sure it was on a large square, probably in Venice.

Does anyone know what this is?