St. Paul's Within the Walls facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Paul's Within the Walls |
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| American Church in Rome | |
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Italian: San Paolo dentro le Mura
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The west front in 2021
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| 41°54′04″N 12°29′39″E / 41.90111°N 12.49417°E | |
| Denomination | Episcopal Church |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | George Edmund Street |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1880 |
| Specifications | |
| Bells | 23 |
St. Paul's Within the Walls (Italian: San Paolo dentro le Mura) is also known as the American Church in Rome. It is a church that belongs to the Episcopal Church in Europe. You can find it on Via Nazionale in Rome, Italy.
This church was the very first Protestant church ever built in Rome. An English architect named George Edmund Street designed it. He used a style called Gothic Revival, which looks like old medieval churches. The church was built with colorful bricks and stones. It was finished in 1880.
Inside the church, there are amazing mosaics. These large artworks were created by a famous English artist named Edward Burne-Jones. He was part of a group called the Pre-Raphaelites.
Contents
Building the Church
Why a Protestant Church in Rome?
For a long time, it was not allowed to build Protestant churches in Rome. This changed after 1870. In that year, the Kingdom of Italy took control of Rome from the Pope. This event made it possible for different types of churches to be built.
When Was St. Paul's Built?
The Episcopal community in Rome decided to build their church in 1872. They hired George Edmund Street to design it. The first stone of the church was laid in 1873. The church officially opened its doors in 1876.
Amazing Mosaics
Edward Burne-Jones's Art
The architect, George Edmund Street, first talked to Edward Burne-Jones about creating mosaics in 1881. Sadly, Street passed away that same year. The church's leader, Robert J. Nevin, then traveled to England. He wanted to make sure Burne-Jones would still create the mosaics. He also asked him to make even more.
Burne-Jones was very excited to make mosaics. He wanted them to be as beautiful as the old mosaics he had seen in Ravenna, Italy, in 1873.
How the Mosaics Were Made
Burne-Jones drew large pictures called cartoons for the mosaics. He sent these drawings to Venice, Italy. He also sent instructions for all the colors to be used. A company in Venice, the Venice and Murano Glass and Mosaic Company, then put tiny pieces of glass and stone, called tesserae, onto the drawings. These finished sections were then brought to Rome and put onto the church walls.
Burne-Jones worked with another artist, William Morris, to choose the colors. They looked at sample tiles sent from the company. Burne-Jones did not go to Italy to watch the work. Instead, he sent his assistant, Thomas Rooke, to supervise.
The Four Main Mosaics
There are four main mosaics by Burne-Jones in the church.
- The Annunciation and The Tree of Life were finished in 1894. They are above the arches leading to the main altar area.
- Christ Enthroned in the Heavenly Jerusalem was finished in 1885. This large mosaic is in the half-dome above the altar. It shows Jesus with archangels. There is an empty space that represents where Lucifer used to be.
- The fourth mosaic is called The Earthly Paradise or The Church Militant. It is lower down on the wall near the altar. Thomas Rooke finished this mosaic in 1907, after Burne-Jones had passed away. This mosaic includes faces that look like real people from that time.
Other Art in the Church
The church also has mosaics made by an American artist named George Breck. He studied art in Rome between 1897 and 1902.
You can also see beautiful stained glass windows in the main part of the church. These windows were designed and made by an English company called Clayton and Bell. This company was also influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite art movement. The stained glass windows tell the story of the life of St. Paul.
Joel Nafuma Refugee Center (JNRC)
Helping Refugees in Rome
The Joel Nafuma Refugee Center (JNRC) is located right at St. Paul's Within the Walls Episcopal Church. It is a special place that helps refugees in Rome. The center was started in 1982.
The JNRC offers many different services. They provide basic help, like food and shelter. They also help people settle into a new life. The goal is to help the whole person. Staff and volunteers work with guests to help them rebuild their lives. They offer art programs, therapy, and legal support. This help is for new arrivals and also for those who will stay in Italy.
In October 2018, the US Ambassador Callista Gingrich visited the center. She officially presented a grant from the U.S. Department of State. This money helps the center continue its important work.
See also
- All Saints' Church, Rome (another Anglican church in Rome)
- American Cathedral in Paris
- American Church in Paris
- American Church in Berlin
