English College, Rome facts for kids

The Venerable English College (also known as the English College) is a special school in Rome, Italy. It trains young men from England and Wales to become Catholic priests. It was started in 1579 by William Allen. The current head of the college is Reverend Stephen Wang.

Quick facts for kids Venerable English College
41°53′44.328″N 12°28′11.625″E / 41.89564667°N 12.46989583°E / 41.89564667; 12.46989583
Location	Via di Monserrato, 45; Roma, Italia 00186
Country	Italy
Denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Authorising papal bull	23 April 1579 by Pope Gregory XIII
Founder(s)	Cardinal William Allen
Relics held	English Martyrs
Administration
Archdiocese	Rome

History of the College

From Hospice to College (1362–1579)

The English College started as a place called the English Hospice of the Most Holy Trinity and St Thomas. It was founded in Rome in 1362. A hospice is a place that offers shelter and care to travelers.

In 1350, many pilgrims visited Rome. They often found dirty and expensive places to stay. Some were even treated badly or died from sickness. So, the hospice was created to help "poor, sick, needy and wretched persons from England."

The hospice became a main spot for English visitors in Rome. A chapel was built in 1376. English kings, like Henry VII, supported it. It was even known as "The King's Hospice."

Important people worked there, like Thomas Linacre, who started the Royal College of Physicians. Cardinal Christopher Bainbridge, an Archbishop, was also a warden. He died at the hospice in 1514.

Many pilgrims stayed at the hospice. In 1481, 218 pilgrims visited. During a sickness in 1482, the hospice cared for 96 sick people.

However, things changed in the 1500s. In 1527, soldiers attacked Rome. They broke into the hospice and stole many valuable items. Then, King Henry VIII broke away from the Pope. This stopped most English pilgrims from coming to Rome. The hospice struggled and had very few guests.

Starting the College (1579)

In 1576, Pope Gregory XIII and William Allen decided to change the hospice. They turned it into a seminary, a school for training priests. It was called the Collegium Anglorum, or English College.

The first students arrived in 1577. Pope Gregory XIII officially founded the college in 1579. He also gave it money and land. The college continued to welcome important visitors. These included the writer Thomas Hobbes (1635), the doctor William Harvey (1636), and the poets John Milton (1638) and Richard Crashaw (1646).

The early years of the college were a bit messy. The first head, Maurice Clenock, was Welsh. Some English students felt he favored Welsh students too much. There were arguments about whether the college should train priests to work in Italy or send them back to England. Many students wanted to return to England to help people there. In 1579, the Pope put Jesuits in charge of the college. They stayed in charge until 1773.

Life at the College: An Early Look

Anthony Munday wrote about his time at the college in 1578. He published his experiences in a book called The English Romayne Life (1582). He described a typical dinner:

"Everyone had their own plate, bread, knife, spoon, and fork. A clean white napkin covered it all. They had a glass and a pot of wine. The first course was a nice meat to make them hungry. The fourth course was roasted meat, the best they could find. Sometimes it was stewed or baked. The last course was often cheese, or sweet treats like figs, almonds, raisins, lemon, and sugar. They knew Englishmen liked sweets."

Later, Munday became an informer in England. He helped capture Edmund Campion and other Jesuit priests.

The Age of Martyrs (1581–1679)

The English College is known as the "Venerable English College" because of its many martyrs. A martyr is someone who dies for their religious beliefs. Between 1581 and 1679, 44 students from the college were martyred for their Catholic faith. Another 130 were imprisoned or sent away. Forty of these martyrs have been made saints or blessed by the Church.

The first martyr from the college was St Ralph Sherwin. He was born around 1550. He studied at Oxford and then in Rome. He was ready to return to England to help people. Within four months of landing in England, he was captured, tortured, and executed in 1581.

Many others followed, including St Robert Southwell, a Jesuit poet (1595), and St Henry Morse, known as the "Priest of the Plague" (1645). The last college martyrs died in 1679 during a time of fear against Catholics.

The college became known as a "nursery of Martyrs." Students would preach about martyrdom every St Stephen's Day. St Philip Neri, a famous saint in Rome, would greet the students with "Salvete Flores Martyrum" (Hail! flowers of the Martyrs).

In the college church, Niccolò Circignani painted pictures of English saints and martyrs. These paintings showed their sufferings in great detail. Copies of these can still be seen today.

The "Martyrs’ Picture" is a famous painting in the college church. It was painted in 1580. It shows the Holy Trinity with two English martyrs: St Thomas of Canterbury and St Edmund. Blood from Christ's wounds falls onto a map of Britain, and fire springs from the blood. This connects to the college's motto: Ignem veni mittere in terram (I have come to bring fire to the earth).

When news of a former student's martyrdom reached Rome, students would sing a special hymn in front of this painting. This tradition continues today on December 1st, "Martyrs’ Day."

College Martyrs List

Changes and Challenges (1679–1807)

After the last martyr in 1679, much of the college was rebuilt. A Jesuit artist named Andrea Pozzo painted a beautiful fresco in the chapel.

During the 1700s, the college supported the Jacobites. These were people who wanted the old Stuart royal family to return to the throne in England. They hoped a Stuart king would be more friendly to Catholics. The Stuart princes, who lived nearby, sometimes visited the college.

In 1773, the Pope decided to close down the Jesuit order. Since Jesuits had been running the college, it was then managed by Italian priests.

In 1796, Napoleon invaded Italy. In 1798, French soldiers entered Rome. The Pope fled, and the students of the college were sent back to England. The college buildings were badly damaged. They were used as a barracks and then a police station. The church roof was taken for wood, and lead coffins were melted down for bullets.

A Golden Age and World Wars

The college survived the difficult Napoleonic period. In 1818, an English head, Robert Gradwell, was appointed. He restarted the college with new students, including Nicholas Wiseman. Wiseman later became the head of the college at just 27 years old. He went on to become the first Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster.

Wiseman made the college a lively place for learning and social life. He taught at the University of Rome. Many famous visitors came to the college, such as John Henry Newman and William Ewart Gladstone.

In 1866, a new college church was started. It was finished in 1888. During the Capture of Rome in 1870, the college was slightly damaged by cannon fire. Students had to hide in the cellar.

Between the World Wars, two future Cardinal Archbishops of Westminster, Arthur Hinsley and William Godfrey, were heads of the college. Students enjoyed concerts, plays, and debates. They also created a funny magazine that made fun of the college leaders. King Edward VII visited in 1903, and King George V sent a signed photo in 1923.

Hinsley bought a new summer house for the students at Palazzola. In 1926, he saved the college from being torn down to make way for a market.

During World War II, the college had to close again. Students left Rome in 1940 and went to England. The college buildings were used as a hospital. Students continued their studies in England and returned to Rome in 1946.

Recent History

The English and Welsh bishops stayed at the college during the Second Vatican Council (1962–65). This was a very important meeting for the Catholic Church.

In 1979, the college celebrated its 400th anniversary. John Paul II celebrated Mass in the church and ate with the students. The college church was officially dedicated on December 1, 1981. This was 400 years after St Ralph Sherwin was martyred.

On December 1, 2012, the college celebrated its 650th anniversary. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were there, representing the Queen. They also had a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI.

In April 2017, Charles, Prince of Wales visited the college during his European tour.

The College Arms

The college's coat of arms has special symbols. It shows the Pope's authority with the Triple Tiara and two keys. The silver key means the Pope can make decisions on Earth. The golden key means he can make decisions in heaven.

Cardinal Allen and Pope Gregory XVI, who helped start the college, are shown by a dragon and three hares. Two lions come from the arms of Edward III. They represent the support the college received from English kings for centuries. The shell at the bottom is a symbol for pilgrims. It reminds us that the college started as a place for English visitors to Rome.

The motto, "Ignem Veni Mittere In Terram" ("I have come to bring fire to the earth"), comes from the Martyrs' Picture. It shows the strong faith of the first martyrs who returned to England, even knowing they might die.

The College Garden

Even though it's in the middle of Rome, the college has a large garden. It looks much like it did in the time of the martyrs. It also has a swimming pool, which was recently fixed up. For a long time, swimming pools were not allowed to save water. So, the college pool was called a "water storage facility." Students still sometimes call it "the tank." The garden has old Roman columns and other stone pieces. It also has parts of the 14th-century chapel.

College Alumni

Many important people have studied at the English College.

Twentieth Century Alumni

• Cardinal Francis Aidan Gasquet
• Cardinal Francis Bourne
• Cardinal Arthur Hinsley
• Cardinal William Godfrey
• Cardinal William Theodore Heard
• Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor
• Norman St John-Stevas
• Sir Anthony Kenny
• Archbishop Paul Gallagher
• Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald
• Archbishop Patrick Altham Kelly
• Cardinal Vincent Nichols

Burials

Some notable people are buried at the college:

• Christopher Bainbridge, in the chapel of St Thomas of Canterbury.
• Francis Fenwick (1645–1694), an English Benedictine monk.
• George Gilbert, who supported the Jesuits.

See also

• Beda College
• English College, Douai
• English College, Lisbon
• English College, Valladolid
• The Scots College (Rome)
• San Silvestro in Capite
• List of Jesuit sites

Images for kids

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  Plan for an oval church

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  Drawing by Pozzo

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  Interior of the Church of the Venerable English College