EWTN Vatican
St. Patrick's Church in Rome Becomes the Parish for the American Community

Two miles from the Vatican is the Church of St. Patrick in Rome, the parish of the American Community living in the city. The parish for U.S. residents and American Pilgrims to Rome is just a few blocks away from the U.S. Embassy to Italy. The Church, built in the Neo-Renaissance style, was founded in 1911, thanks to the work of Fr. Patrick Glynn, an Irish Augustinian from Limerick. The façade is covered with Romanesque-Byzantine motifs. The interior has three naves and a coffered ceiling. The mosaics that adorn the Church were made by the early-20th century artist Rodolfo Villani depicting St. Patrick converting the High King of Ireland in the 5th century and using the shamrock leaf to explain the Trinity. In the apse of the Church, there is a quote in Latin from the writings of St. Patrick that translates to "Be Christians as those of the Roman Church". At the front of the church on the left is the Sacred Heart altar with a beautiful mosaic of the Last Supper. On the right is Our Lady's altar with the painting of Our Lady of Grace, painted on slate in the 14th century. Until 2017, St. Patrick's Church in Villa Ludovisi belonged to the College of Irish Augustinians. In August 2017, the church passed on to the Paulist Fathers. From then on, the church has been the official parish for Americans living in Rome, taking the place of the Church of Santa Susanna, the former church of the Paulist Fathers. EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief, Andreas Thonhuaser, has more. 


Author Name

Andreas Thonhauser is EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief. He earned a Master of Business Administration from the WU Executive Academy in Vienna and a Master’s degree in German Philology/Anglistics and Americanistics from the University of Vienna. Prior to joining EWTN, Thonhauser worked as the Director of External Affairs for a global human rights organization, and for several media outlets in Vienna, Austria.

 

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