Churches for Pilgrims
Visiting the Titular Churches of American Cardinals:
The following are some suggestions for visiting some of the titular churches of the American Cardinals. The following churches are not grouped together by area of the city but most can be found in the center of the city. We continue to add to this list. Here is a complete list of the titular chuches of the American Cardinals:
New York:
Santa Maria Sopra Minerva: Titular Church of America’s first Cardinal, John Cardinal McCloskey of New York (1875-1885) and his successor once removed, John Cardinal Farley (1911-1918). Located in the Piazza della Minerva with Bernini’s strange elephant and obelisk statue, it is located near the Pantheon. Next to the church in the piazza is a school building that once served as the American College in the 19th century (notice the inscription over the door). It may be for this reason that Cardinal McCloskey was given title to the church. This school was the original Dominican seminary, the Angelicum, and it was here that the heresy trial of Galileo took place in 1616, where Galileo was condemned for stating that the earth rotated around the sun. This condemnation was lifted by Pope John Paul II.
The 13th century Dominican church is built on top a an ancient Temple to the Goddess Minerva. The Franciscan church of Santa Croce in Florence served as a model for the church, which is designed in late Gothic style. Inside the church you will find the statue of the Risen Christ by Michelangelo (1521) and the recently restored fresco of the Annunciation by Filippino Lippi (1489). Saint Catherine of Siena is buried in the main altar, Blessed Fra Angelico, the great Dominican painter is buried to the left of the Michelangelo statue, and the Medici Popes Leo X and Clement VII are buried in a side chapel.
John Cardinal McCloskey 1875-1885
John Cardinal Farley 1911-1918
S. Maria in Via: Titular Church of Patrick Cardinal Hayes of New York (1924-1938). Located near the Corso at the beginning of the Via del Tritone. The church was begun in 1205 and in 1253 a miracle occurred through prayer to a miraculous Madonna, a 13th century icon that was brought to the church. The present church was rebuilt in the 16th century by Giovanni, Archbishop of Genoa, the Cardinal Titular. It contains a medieval well in addition to the icon for which the church is named. It was the titular church of St. Robert Cardinal Bellamine, Jesuit theologian and Doctor of the Church (1542-1621). The church’s facade was designed by Bernini and completed in 1670.
Patrick Cardinal Hayes 1924-1938
S. Giovanni e Paolo: Built in 410 next to the ruins of a Temple of the Emperor Claudius on the Celian Hill, it was demolished and rebuilt between 1099 and 1118. It is built over the house of two Roman courtiers who were martyred under the Emperor Julian the Apostate (360-363). A Passionist church, its founder St. Paul of the Cross is buried in a side chapel. The titular church of Cardinal Pacelli (Pius XII), beginning with Cardinal Spellman, it became the titular church of the Archbishops of New York.
Francis Cardinal Spellman 1846-1967
Terrance Cardinal Cooke 1969-1983
John Cardinal O’Connor 1985-2000
Edward Cardinal Egan 2001-
SS. Nome di Gesu e Maria in Via Lata:
Avery Cardinal Dulles 2001-
Baltimore:
S. Maria in Trastevere: In the center of Trastevere, it was constructed between 337 and 352 and rebuilt in the 12th century. One of the best examples of the transition from mosaics to frescos that occured in the 12th century. The 21 columns in the nave were taken from various Roman temples.
James Cardinal Gibbons 1886-1921
S. Clemente: One of the best preserved medieval basilicas in Rome it is found near the Colosseum. Built in the 4th century, it was restored in the 8th and destroyed in 1084 during the Norman sack of Rome. The church exists in three levels, descending to the house of Saint Clement. Saint Cyril and Methodius were buried here and Saint Ignatius of Antioch and Saint Clement are under the 8th century altar.
Lawrence Cardinal Sheehan 1965-1984
S. Maria degli Angeli: Titular Church of William Cardinal Keeler of Baltimore (1994- ). Located in the Piazza della Repubblica, the basilica was designed by Michelangelo in 1563, from the ruins of the Great Hall in the ruins of the Baths of Diocletian (298). The ruins of the baths had been quite extensive and were put up for sale in 1565. Pius IV purchased the property for the purpose of building a church and monastery in this section of Rome for the Carthusians. Michelangelo attempted to retain the integrity and structure of the surviving ruins in his construction of the church and monastery from 1563 to 1566. However the basilica was so altered in 1749 by Luigi Vanvitelli, that the very direction of the church and sanctuary were rotated, substantially deviating from Michelangelo’s design, and original ruins themselves. This was done as the request of the Carthusians but has destroyed most of original character of the space. A statue of Saint Bruno, founder of the Carthusian order by the French sculptor, Houdon is located inside the church. During the Kingdom of Italy, the basilica served as the official site for royal weddings. King Humberto II and Queen Marie Jose were married here.
William Cardinal Keeler 1994- S. Maria degli Angeli
Boston:
S. Clemente: (see Baltimore)
William Cardinal O’Connell 1911-1944 S. Clemente
S. Susanna:
Titular Church of Edward Cardinal Mooney of Detroit (1946-1958), and the Archbishops of Boston: Richard Cardinal Cushing (1958-1970), Humberto Cardinal Medieros (1973-1983) and Bernard Cardinal Law (1985- ). Located one block just north of the Piazza della Repubblica in the Piazza San Bernardo.
The original Constantinian church which sat on the old Nomentana dates from 330, and was built over the two houses of Pope St. Caius, Saints Susanna and Gabinus. The original houses, now under excavation, date from 285. The church was originally named San Caio but this title was changed by Pope St. Gregory the Great to Santa Susanna in 590. The church was expanded by Pope St. Leo III in 800, who was Cardinal Titular of the Church, and was rebuilt between 1585-1598 by Cardinal Rusticucci, Vicar General of Rome and Cardinal Titular. Saints Susanna, Gabinus, Felicity, Eleutherius and Gennesius (patron of actors) are buried in the church. The frescos are by the Sistine School of Pope Sixtus V, who also decorated St. John Lateran and the Vatican Library. (A more complete description of the church is given elsewhere). Five Cardinal Priests have been elected pope and three are saints: Conon, Sergius and Leo.
Richard Cardinal Cushing 1958-1970
Humberto Cardinal Medieros 1973-1983
Bernard Cardinal Law 1985-
Philadelphia:
Ss. Nereus e Archilles:
Dennis Cardinal Dougherty 1921-1951
S. Andrea e Gregorio al Monte Celio:
John Cardinal O’Hara 1958-1960
S. Maria della Mercede:
John Cardinal Krol 1967-1996
S. Alfonso e Ss. Redentore: Titular Church of Joseph Cardinal Ritter of St. Louis (1961-1967) and Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua of Philadelphia (1991- ). Located along the Via Merulana one block from the Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore, this 19th century church is dedicated to St. Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the Redemptorists. The Generalate or world headquarters for the Redemptorist Order is located next to the church. Here over the main altar is the great icon, Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua 1991-
Chicago:
S. Maria del Populo:
George Cardinal Mundelien 1924-1939
S. Agnese fuori la mura:
Samuel Cardinal Stritch 1946-1958
S. Cecilia in Trastevere:
Albert Cardinal Meyer 1959-1965
John Cardinal Cody 1967-1982 S. Cecilia in Trastevere
Gesu, Divin Lavatore:
Joseph Cardinal Bernadin 1983-1996
S. Bartolomeo all’Isola Tiburtina:
Francis Cardinal George 1998-
Detroit:
S. Susanna: (See Boston)
Edward Cardinal Mooney 1946-1958
S. Pio:
John Cardinal Dearden 1969-1988
Ss. Andrea e Gregorio al Monte Celio:
Edmund Cardinal Szoka 1988-
Ss. Vitale, Valeria Gervaso e Portasio: Titular Church of Adam Cardinal Maida of Detroit (1994- ), the small church is below ground level, representative of very ancient structures in Rome. Dedicated in 416 by Pope Innocent I through a gift from the Roman matron Vestina, it was originally named for the Saints Gervasius and Portasius, Roman martyrs. The church was renamed San Vitale in 499. Originally the church contained three naves, but it has been restored so many times (800, 1475, 1595, 1859 and 1960) that very little of the original church remains. Aside from the ancient porch of the church with its early columns, there is a beautiful hand carved wooden ceiling and several 17th century trompe l’oiel frescos by D’Aprino and Pozzo. This was the titular church of St. John Cardinal Fischer, English humanist and martyr (1569-1535) who died during the English Reformation.
Adam Cardinal Maida 1994-
St. Louis:
S. Clemente:
John Cardinal Glennon of St. Louis , Missouri, 18 February - 9 March, 1946
S. Alfonso e Ss. Redentore: (See Philadelphia)
Joseph Cardinal Ritter 1961-1967
S. Giovanni Battista de Rossi:
John Cardinal Carberry 1969-1998
Los Angeles:
Sant'’Anastasia:
Francis Cardinal McIntyre 1953-1979
Santa Lucia al Clodio:
Timothy Cardinal Manning 1973-1989
Ss. Quattro Coronati:
Roger Cardinal Mahoney 1991-
Washington:
S. Croce in Via Flaminia:
William Cardinal Baum 1976-
S. Maria Madre della Redentore:
James Cardinal Hickey 1988-
Ss. Nereus e Archilles: (See Philadelphia)
Theodore Cardinal McCarrick 2001-
Rome:
San Bernardo alle Terme: Titular Church of Aloisius Cardinal Muench (1959-1962). Located in the Piazza San Bernardo, bordering the Via Torino and across from Santa Susanna, this church in the round was constructed in 1600. The church was created out of one of four round towers that formed the border of the ancient Baths of Diocletian (298). This piece of the ruins of the Baths was purchased by Contessa Caterina Nobili Sforza in order to build a Cistercian monastery and two churches, one to St. Catherine of Siena (demolished in 1855) and one to St. Bernard of Clarvieau, founder of Cistercian monasticism. Between the two churches was a monastery, seized by the state in 1871 and of which only a small section remains. The Contessa is buried in the sanctuary of the church. Like the Pantheon, it has a dome with an open roof to light the interior of the church.
Aloisius Cardinal Muench 1959-1962
Gesu Divin Maestro alla Pineta Sacchetti:
John Cardinal Wright, 1969-1979
Gesu Bon Pastore alla Montagnola:
James Cardinal Stafford, 1998-
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