Ludovisi - convento di sant Isidoro 1598

Sant'Isidoro a Capo le Case is a

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

church, monastic complex and college run by the

Franciscan Order The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...

in the Ludovisi district on the Pincian Hill in

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. It contains the Cappella Da Sylva, designed by

Gian Lorenzo Bernini Gian Lorenzo (or Gianlorenzo) Bernini (, ; ; Italian Giovanni Lorenzo; 7 December 1598 – 28 November 1680) was an Italians, Italian sculptor and Italian architect, architect. While a major figure in the world of architecture, he was more prom ...

, who also designed the funerary monument of his son Paolo Valentino Bernini in it. Since 2017 San Patrizio a Villa Ludovisi became the national church of the United States, Sant'Isidoro has become the

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in Rome.

Monastery

The monastery was founded by a gift from the nobleman Ottaviano Vestri di Barbiano, as shown in a

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pope Urban VIII Pope Urban 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 pope, he expanded the papal terri ...

of 1625. Its construction was begun in response to

pope Gregory XV Pope Gregory XV (; ; 9 January 1554 – 8 July 1623), born Alessandro Ludovisi, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 February 1621 until his death in 1623. He is notable for founding the Congregation for the ...

's 1622 canonisation of Isidore of Madrid and four other saints – in that year, some Spanish

Discalced A discalced (/dɪsˈkælst/, ''dis-KALST'') religious order is one whose members go barefoot or wear sandals. These orders are often distinguished on this account from other branches of the same order. The custom of going unshod was introduced int ...

Franciscans The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor being the largest conte ...

arrived in Rome wanting to found a convent for Spaniards and build a church dedicated to Isidore. The convent building is built around two cloisters, the small cloister (''il piccolo chiostro''), designed by Casoni in 1626, and the Wadding cloister, named after Luke Wadding, with 17th century murals.

Saint Isidore's College, Rome

After two years, however, the church and monastery passed to Irish Franciscans, who had fled Ireland due to British persecution, and it became the Saint Isidore's College, Rome ( or ) They were led by

Luke Wadding Luke Wadding (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 Lombar ...

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

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was also added to the monastery church's dedication. Wadding was able to attract to the college as professors some of the ablest members of the order at the time, all of them his countrymen. These included such men as Hickey, Patrick Fleming, and Ponce, and some years later Bonaventure Baron. 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. The name of the street ''Via degli Artisti'', which runs along the convent, still commemorates its use by the artists' colony. 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. In 2008, the Master General of the Franciscan Order transferred the convent and activities of St. Bonaventure in Grottaferrata, with an important library, here. However, is to be maintained if possible. Today, while maintaining an Irish Franciscan presence, thirteen Franciscans from six countries reside at the monastery.

Church

The monastery church was initially begun according to a design by Antonio Felice Casoni. The facade is by Carlo Francesco Bizzaccheri (1704-1705) using the double-ramped staircase and portico already completed by Domenico Castelli. The interior has a single nave in the shape of a Latin cross and has a barrel vault. There are two side chapels in the nave and two in the choir. The ceiling paintings are by

Carlo Maratta Carlo Maratta or Maratti (18 May 162515 December 1713) was an Italian Baroque painter and Drawing, draughtsman, active principallly in Rome where he was the leading painter in the second half of the 17th century. He was a fresco and canvas painte ...

(story of Joseph, Immaculate Conception), the painting in the dome is by Domenico Bartolini. The high altar has a painting of St. Isidore and the Virgin Mary by Andrea Sacchi. The Cappella Da Sylva was rebuilt according to a design by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

People Associated with St. Isidore's

* Bonaventure Baron OFM, theologian, is buried in the College * Hubert Quinn OFM * James McCormack OFM, Guardian during the Napoleonic Invasion * Mícheál MacCraith OFM Guardian (2011-2017) * Hugh McKenna OFM, Guardian (2017- ) * John Punch philosopher and theologian, served as Superior of St Ididore's, also of the Irish College in Rome

References

Sources

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

External links

Saint Isidore's College, Rome
{{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