Ludovisi - convento di sant Isidoro 1598

Sant'Isidoro a Capo le Case is a Roman Catholic church, monastic complex and college of the

Franciscan Order , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...

, in the Ludovisi district on the Pincian Hill in Rome. It contains the Cappella Da Sylva, designed by

Gian Lorenzo Bernini Gian Lorenzo (or Gianlorenzo) Bernini (, , ; Italian Giovanni Lorenzo; 7 December 159828 November 1680) was an Italian sculptor and architect. While a major figure in the world of architecture, he was more prominently the leading sculptor of his ...

, 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 A national church is a Christian church associated with a specific ethnic group or nation state. The idea was notably discussed during the 19th century, during the emergence of modern nationalism. Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in a draft discussing ...

of Ireland in Rome. The monastery was founded by a gift from the nobleman Ottaviano Vestri di Barbiano, as shown in a bull of

pope Urban VIII Pope Urban VIII ( la, Urbanus VIII; it, Urbano VIII; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death in July 1644. As po ...

of 1625. Its construction was begun in response to

pope Gregory XV Pope Gregory XV ( la, Gregorius XV; it, Gregorio XV; 9 January 15548 July 1623), born Alessandro Ludovisi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 February 1621 to his death in July 1623. Biography Early life Al ...

's 1622 canonisation of

Isidore of Madrid Isidore the Labourer, also known as Isidore the Farmer ( es, San Isidro Labrador) (c. 1070 – May 15, 1130), was a Spanish farmworker known for his piety toward the poor and animals. He is the Catholic patron saint of farmers and 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.

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, and it became the Saint Isidore's College, Rome ( it, Collegio S. Isidoro, Roma or ga, Coláiste Naomh Iosadóir, An Róimh) They were led by

Luke Wadding Luke Wadding, O.F.M. (16 October 158818 November 1657), was an Irish Franciscan friar and historian. Life Early life Wadding was born on 16 October 1588 in Waterford to Walter Wadding of Waterford, a wealthy merchant, and his wife, Anastasia ...

OFM, who also founded a school of studies which was recognised by Urban VIII's 1625 bull, becoming the

Pontifical Irish College The Pontifical Irish College is a Roman Catholic seminary for the training and education of priests, in Rome. The College is located at #1, Via dei Santi Quattro, and serves as a residence for clerical students from all over the world. Designated ...

, Rome.

Saint Patrick Saint Patrick ( la, Patricius; ga, Pádraig ; cy, Padrig) was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, the other patron saints be ...

was also added to the monastery church's dedication. Francis O'Molloy succeeded Wadding at St. Isidore's. A Franciscan

novitiate The novitiate, also called the noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a Christian ''novice'' (or ''prospective'') monastic, apostolic, or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether ...

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.Letter from William T. Cosgrave to Benito Mussolini (Rome)
Dictionary of Irish Foreign Policy, February 24, 1934.

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- )

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Isidoro A Capo Le Case, Sant National churches in Rome Franciscan monasteries in Italy Monasteries in Rome Churches of Rome (rione Ludovisi) Irish diaspora in Europe Rome

Saint Isidore's College, Rome

People Associated with St. Isidore's

See also

References