la, S. Alfonsi in Exquiliis , native_name_lang = , image = Chiesa del Santissimo Redentore e di Sant'Alfonso de' Liguori.jpg , mapframe = yes , mapframe-caption = Click on the map for a fullscreen view , mapframe-zoom = 12 , mapframe-marker = religious-christian , coordinates = , location = Via Merulana 26
00185

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, country =

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

, denomination =

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

, religious institute =

Redemptorists The Redemptorists officially named the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer ( la, links=no, Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris), abbreviated CSsR,is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of pontifical right for men (priests and brother ...

, website = , founded date = , founder = , dedication = , dedicated date = , consecrated date = , relics =

Icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Our Lady of Perpetual Help (also known as Our Lady of Perpetual Succour) is a Roman Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with a 15th-century Byzantine icon with an alleged Marian apparition. The icon is believed to have o ...

, status =

Titular church In the Catholic Church, a titular church is a church in Rome that is assigned to a member of the clergy who is created a cardinal. These are Catholic churches in the city, within the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Rome, that serve as honorary de ...

, functional status = Active , heritage designation = , designated date = , architect =

George J. Wigley George Jonas Wigley (born Scotland 1825 - died 20 January 1866, Rome, Italy) was a British architect, journalist and supporter of Catholic causes. Life By profession he was an architect, but subsequently devoted himself to journalism in Paris. ...

, style =

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

, years built = , completed date = 1859 , length = , width = , other dimensions = , materials = Brick , bells = , bells hung = , bell weight = The Church of Saint Alphonsus Liguori (''Chiesa di Sant'Alfonso di Liguori all'Esquilino'' in

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

) is a rectory church located on the Via Merulana on the

Esquiline Hill The Esquiline Hill (; la, Collis Esquilinus; it, Esquilino ) is one of the Seven Hills of Rome. Its southernmost cusp is the ''Oppius'' (Oppian Hill). Etymology The origin of the name ''Esquiline'' is still under much debate. One view is ...

of central

's Vth prefecture,

, and a

titular church In the Catholic Church, a titular church is a church in Rome that is assigned to a member of the clergy who is created a cardinal. These are Catholic churches in the city, within the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Rome, that serve as honorary de ...

for a

Cardinal-priest A cardinal ( la, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalis, literally 'cardinal of the Holy Roman Church') is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. Cardinals are created by the ruling pope and typically hold the title for life. Col ...

under the name Santissimo Redentore e Sant'Alfonso in Via Merulana (Holy Redeemer and St. Alfonso).

Church

It is dedicated to St. Alphonsus Liguori, the founder of the

Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer The Redemptorists officially named the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer ( la, links=no, Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris), abbreviated CSsR,is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of pontifical right for men (priests and brother ...

(Redemptorists), who built and staff the church. The Apostolic Constitution ''Plurima'', which established St. Alphonsus as a Titular Church. (in Latin) The church is one of the rare examples of

neo-Gothic Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

architecture in Rome. It is one of the last

papal The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

churches of Rome, although the Redemptorists have possession of the church and its related complex. It was built between 1855 and 1859, designed by the Scottish architect George Wigley. The facade made of brick and

travertine Travertine ( ) is a form of terrestrial limestone deposited around mineral springs, especially hot springs. It often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, cream-colored, and even rusty varieties. It is formed by a p ...

features three doors. In the central tympanum of the door there is a polychrome

mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...

, depicting

. The facade is further embellished by a rose window. The interior decorations, rich with marble, from the end of the nineteenth century, are by the Bavarian painter and Redemptorist

Max Schmalzl Max Schmalzl (7 July 1850 – 7 January 1930) was a German Redemptorist lay brother who worked as a painter, illustrator, and designer in the style of the Nazarene and the Beuron schools. His intricate woodcuts and illustrations are ubiquitous i ...

(1850-1930). The

apse In architecture, an apse (plural apses; from Latin 'arch, vault' from Ancient Greek 'arch'; sometimes written apsis, plural apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an ''exedra''. In ...

is crowned by a

, put in place in 1964, depicting the Redeemer enthroned between the

Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother o ...

and

St. Joseph Joseph (; el, Ἰωσήφ, translit=Ioséph) was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who, according to the canonical Gospels, was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus. The Gospels also name some brothers ...

. Below the mosaic hangs the original icon of

, which was produced in

Crete Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and ...

in the 14th century. This icon was stolen from

Keras Kardiotissas Monastery The Keras Kardiotissas Monastery or simply Keras Monastery ( el, Μονή Κεράς Καρδιώτισσας or Μονή Κεράς) is an Eastern Orthodox monastery dedicated to Virgin Mary that is situated near the village of Kera of the He ...

in 1498 and given to the Redemptorists by

Pope Pius IX Pope Pius IX ( it, Pio IX, ''Pio Nono''; born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878, the longest verified papal reign. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican ...

in 1866. It enjoyed a papal visit from

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

on 30 June 1991.

Cardinal-protectors

Saint John XXIII Pope John XXIII ( la, Ioannes XXIII; it, Giovanni XXIII; born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, ; 25 November 18813 June 1963) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 28 October 1958 until his death in June 19 ...

named St. Alphonsus a Cardinal Titular Church on 30 December 1960 as ''SS. Redentore e S. Alfonso in Via Merulana'' (Most Holy Redeemer and St. Alphonsus on Via Merulana). The following cardinals have served as

Cardinal priest A cardinal ( la, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalis, literally 'cardinal of the Holy Roman Church') is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. Cardinals are created by the ruling pope and typically hold the title for life. Col ...

s: * Joseph Elmer Ritter, (1961.01.19 – 1967.06.10), while Metropolitan Archbishop of Saint Louis (1946.07.20 – 1967.06.10) * José Clemente Maurer, C.Ss.R. (1967.06.29 – 1990.06.27), while Metropolitan Archbishop of

Sucre Sucre () is the Capital city, capital of Bolivia, the capital of the Chuquisaca Department and the List of cities in Bolivia, 6th most populated city in Bolivia. Located in the south-central part of the country, Sucre lies at an elevation of . T ...

(Bolivia) (1951.10.27 – 1983.11.30), President of Episcopal Conference of Bolivia (1968 – 1979) *

Anthony Joseph Bevilacqua Anthony Joseph Bevilacqua (June 17, 1923 – January 31, 2012) was an American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania from 1988 to 2003. Bevilacqua previously served as ...

, (1991.06.28 – 2012.01.31), while Metropolitan Archbishop of

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

(USA) (1988.02.11 – 2003.07.15) *

Vincent Nichols Vincent Gerard Nichols (born 8 November 1945) is an English cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. He previously served as Archbishop of Birm ...

, (2014.02.22 – ...), while Metropolitan Archbishop of

Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Bu ...

(London, England, UK) (2009.04.03 – ...), President of Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales (2009.04.30 – ...)

Gallery

Image:Church of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Rome.jpg, Central view Image:Church St Alphonsus Rome 2011 5.jpg, Chapel Image:Church St Alphonsus Rome 2011 8.jpg, Chapel Image:Church St Alphonsus Rome 2011 6.jpg, Chapel

References

Sources and external links

Official Website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Church Of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Rome Alphonsus 19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Roman Catholic churches completed in 1859 Redemptorist churches Gothic Revival church buildings in Italy Redeemer