The Church of Saint Athanasius ( it, Sant’Atanasio, la, S. Athanasii), also known as Sant'Atanasio dei Greci (, ''Ekklisia Agiou Athanasiou ton Ellinon''), is a

Greek Catholic The term Greek Catholic Church can refer to a number of Eastern Catholic Churches following the Byzantine (Greek) liturgy, considered collectively or individually. The terms Greek Catholic, Greek Catholic church or Byzantine Catholic, Byzantine Ca ...

titular Titular may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Title character in a narrative work, the character referred to in its title Religion * Titular (Catholicism), a cardinal who holds a titulus, one of the main churches of Rome ** Titular bisho ...

church located on Via del Babuino 149, near the

Spanish steps The Spanish Steps ( it, Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti) in Rome, Italy, climb a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinità dei Monti, dominated by the Trinità dei Monti church, at the top. The monumental stairway ...

, in the

rione A (; plural: ) is a neighbourhood in several Italian cities. A is a territorial subdivision. The larger administrative subdivisions in Rome are the , with the being used only in the historic centre. The word derives from the Latin , the 14 su ...

Campo Marzio Campo Marzio is the 4th ''rione'' of Rome, identified by the initials R. IV. It belongs to the Municipio I and covers a smaller section of the area of the ancient ''Campus Martius''. The logo of this rione is a silver crescent on a blue backgroun ...

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 ...

, Italy.

History

The church was built in 1577 for use of a Greek College for the formation of Catholic clergy in the

Eastern Rite Eastern Rite or Eastern liturgical rite may refer to: * liturgical rite used in Eastern Christianity: ** liturgical rites of the Eastern Orthodox Church, which mainly use the Byzantine liturgical rites ** liturgical rites of the Eastern Catholic Ch ...

. Construction was patronized by the

Pope Gregory XIII Pope Gregory XIII ( la, Gregorius XIII; it, Gregorio XIII; 7 January 1502 – 10 April 1585), born Ugo Boncompagni, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 May 1572 to his death in April 1585. He is best known for ...

and the

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

order to promulgate and serve the interests forming a Congregation of the Greeks. In 1872 the church was entrusted to the

Congregation for the Oriental Churches The Dicastery for the Eastern Churches (also called Dicastery for the Oriental Churches), previously named Congregation for the Oriental Churches or Congregation for the Eastern Churches ( la, Congregatio pro Ecclesiis Orientalibus), is a dicaste ...

. On the 22 February 1962

Pope 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 ...

granted it 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 ...

as a seat for

Cardinals Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

. At present the ''Titulus San Athanasii'' is held by Lucian Cardinal Mureșan.

Architecture

The main layout was designed by

Giacomo della Porta Giacomo della Porta (1532–1602) was an Italian architect and sculptor, who worked on many important buildings in Rome, including St. Peter's Basilica. He was born at Porlezza, Lombardy and died in Rome. Biography Giacomo Della Porta was b ...

, although the facade was attributed to

Martino Longhi the Elder Martino Longhi the Elder (1534–1591) was an Italian architect, the father of Onorio Longhi and the grandfather of Martino Longhi the Younger. He is also known as ''Martino Lunghi''. He was born in Viggiù into a family of architects, and initiall ...

. The facade is placed between two towers covered with domes, which is divided into two horizontal bands by a marble ledge. Either side of a large window is written an inscription, one in Greek and the other in Latin in honor of

Saint Athanasius of Alexandria Athanasius I of Alexandria, ; cop, ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲩ ⲡⲓⲁⲡⲟⲥⲧⲟⲗⲓⲕⲟⲥ or Ⲡⲁⲡⲁ ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲩ ⲁ̅; (c. 296–298 – 2 May 373), also called Athanasius the Great, ...

. On the left stands a tower clock, donated by

Pope Clement XIV Pope Clement XIV ( la, Clemens XIV; it, Clemente XIV; 31 October 1705 – 22 September 1774), born Giovanni Vincenzo Antonio Ganganelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 May 1769 to his death in Sep ...

in 1771, which faces the palace of the Pontifical Greek College. The interior was frescoed by

Francesco Tibaldi Francesco, the Italian (and original) version of the personal name " Francis", is the most common given name among males in Italy. Notable persons with that name include: People with the given name Francesco * Francesco I (disambiguation), sev ...

, and contained altarpieces by

Cavalier d'Arpino Giuseppe Cesari (14 February 1568 – 3 July 1640) was an Italian Mannerist painter, also named Il Giuseppino and called ''Cavaliere d'Arpino'', because he was created ''Cavaliere di Cristo'' by his patron Pope Clement VIII. He was much patroniz ...

. In the past, the library was said to hold the library of Leo Allatius.Accurata, E Succinta Descrizione Topografica, E Istorica Di Roma
Volume 1, by Ridolfino Venturini, published by Carlo Barbellieni, Rome (1768); page 147.

List of Cardinal priests

Gabriel Acacius Coussa Gabriel Acacius Coussa, BA (3 August 1897 – 29 July 1962) was a Syrian Melkite Catholic archbishop, expert in canon law and cardinal. He served as secretary of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches and was the first Eastern Catholic to ho ...

(22 March 1962 - 29 July 1962) * Josyf Ivanovyce Slipyj (25 February 1965 - 7 September 1984) *

Lucian Mureșan Lucian Mureșan (born 23 May 1931) is the first and current Major Archbishop of the Greek Catholic Archdiocese of Făgăraș and Alba Iulia and a cardinal of the Catholic Church. As Major Archbishop of Făgăraș and Alba Iulia (resident in Blaj ...

(18 February 2012 - present) In the novel and film, '' Shoes of the Fisherman,'' Ukrainian Kiril Lakota, Eastern rite Metropolitan Archbishop of Livov, is appointed cardinal priest with Saint Athanasius as his titular church (before being elected Pope).

References

Sources

* M. Armellini
''Le chiese di Roma dal secolo IV al XIX'', Roma 1891
pp. 339

p. 381 * C. Rendina, ''Le Chiese di Roma'', Newton & Compton Editori, Milano 2000, p. 40 * M. Quercioli, ''Rione IV Campo Marzio'', in AA.VV, ''I rioni di Roma'', Newton & Compton Editori, Milano 2000, Vol. I, pp. 264–334

External links

{{Authority control Roman Catholic churches completed in 1583 Atanasio National churches in Rome 16th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Dicastery for the Eastern Churches Eastern Catholic church buildings in Italy Greek diaspora in Europe Greece–Italy relations Atanasio