Sant'Isidoro a Capo le Case
Sant'Isidoro a Capo le Case is a Roman Catholic church, monastic complex and college of the Franciscan Order, in the Ludovisi district on the Pincian Hill in Rome. It contains the Cappella Da Sylva, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, who also designed the funerary monument of his son Paolo Valentino Bernini in it. Since the giving of San Patrizio a Villa Ludovisi to the United States of America for use as their national church, Sant'Isidoro has become the National Church of Ireland in Rome.
| Sant'Isidoro a Capo le Casé | |
|---|---|
Chiesa di Sant'Isidoro a Capo le Case | |
 The façade | |
Click on the map for a fullscreen view | |
| 41°54′22″N 12°29′12″E | |
| Location | 41 Via degli Artisti, Ludovisi, Rome |
| Country | Italy |
| Language(s) | English, Irish |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Tradition | Roman Rite |
| Religious order | Franciscans |
| Website | stisidoresrome |
| History | |
| Status | national church |
| Founded | 1622 |
| Dedication | Saint Isidore |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Gian Lorenzo Bernini |
| Architectural type | Baroque |
| Groundbreaking | 1622 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Rome |
The monastery was founded by a gift from the nobleman Ottaviano Vestri di Barbiano, as shown in a bull of pope Urban VIII of 1625. Its construction was begun in response to pope Gregory XV's 1622 canonisation of Isidore of Madrid and four other saints – in that year, some Spanish Discalced Franciscans arrived in Rome wanting to found a convent for Spaniards and build a church dedicated to Isidore.[1]
Saint Isidore's College, Rome
After two years, however, the church and monastery passed to Irish Franciscans, who had fled Ireland due to English persecution and who still own the complex,[2] and it became the Saint Isidore's College, Rome (Italian: Collegio S. Isidoro, Roma or Irish: Coláiste Naomh Iosadóir, An Róimh) They were led by Luke Wadding OFM,[3] who also founded a school of studies which was recognised by Urban VIII's 1625 bull, becoming the Pontifical Irish College, Rome.[4] Saint Patrick was also added to the monastery church's dedication. Francis O'Molloy succeeded Wadding at St. Isidore's.[5]
A Franciscan novitiate was established in 1656 in Capranica near Sutri.
The monastery was dissolved for a time by Napoleon I and from 1810 to 1820 its monastic buildings housed the artistic colony known as the Nazarenes. It became a monastery again after his defeat and it remains so to this day.
At one point virtually every member of the Irish Franciscans (and Australian Franciscans which were part of the Irish Province) would have studied at some point in St Isidore’s.[6]
People Associated with St. Isidore's
- Hubert Quinn OFM
- James McCormack OFM, Guardian during the Napoleonic Invasion
- Mícheál MacCraith OFM Guardian (2011-2017)
- Hugh McKenna OFM, Guardian (2017- )
See also
- Irish Franciscan Colleges
- St Anthony's College, Leuven
- College of the Immaculate Conception, Prague (Franciscan College founded by priests from Leuven in Prague then Bohemia)
- Other Irish Colleges in Rome
- Pontifical Irish College, Rome
- San Clemente al Laterano, Rome, Irish Dominican College.
References
- College of Saint Isidore New Advent (Catholic Encyclopedia)
- Isidores College, Rome Irish Franciscans.
- Luke Wadding New Advent (Catholic Encyclopedia)
- Biography - Luke Wadding OFM, Pontificio Collegio Irlandese, Roma.
- Franciscana: The Irish Franciscans in Rome by T. J. Corcoran SJ ,The Catholic Historical Review, Vol. 12, No. 4 (Jan., 1927), pp. 653-656 (4 pages). Published By: Catholic University of America Press
- Letter from William T. Cosgrave to Benito Mussolini (Rome) Dictionary of Irish Foreign Policy, February 24, 1934.