Pontifical Spanish College
The Pontifical Spanish College of St. Joseph ( es . : Pontificio Colegio Español de San José ; it . : Pontificio Collegio Spagnuolo ) in Rome is a Pontifical College for Spanish seminarians and priests . It is financially and scientifically incumbent on the Spanish Bishops' Conference and works closely with the Pontifical Gregorian University .
history
The founding idea for a Spanish seminary in Rome can be traced back to the difficult situation of the Catholic Church between the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. After the War of Independence (1808–1813), the Carlist War , the First Republic and the Restoration (1820–1898), the training of priests was drastically hindered and restricted. At Spanish universities could faculties of theology train only conditionally. (see main article: History of Spain )
In order not to endanger the next generation of priests , there was an urgent need to establish an institution for the formation of priests. In Rome, the Spanish priest Manuel Domingo y Sol promoted the establishment of a college for Spanish priesthood candidates since 1890 . He was able to win over the Pontifical Chamberlain Rafael Merry del Val as a sponsor, advocate and financier . On April 1, 1892, the first course was opened with eleven seminarians , and Benjamin Miñana was appointed first rector . The college moved into its first building in Via Condotti, near the Spanish embassy at the Vatican . In the years 1892-1893 the number of students rose to 32, they came from twelve Spanish dioceses . Already at this point in time Pope Leo XIII. (1878–1903) expanded and proposed the Palazzo Altemps , the seat of the former Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei , as a new home . However, the Spanish bishops lacked the financial means to purchase the property. On June 21, 1893, Cardinal Rampolla , who was apostolic nuncio in Madrid , assigned the Altemps palace to the college. Pope Leo XIII. took over a large part of the rental costs. The first course started in October 1893 with 42 students. In September 1894, now with 52 students, the Palazzo Altemps on Piazza Navona became the college's first permanent home. Pope Leo XIII. signed the ownership right to the bishops of Spain on October 23, 1893 . In 1904 Pope Pius X. (1903–1914) granted the college the status of a papal college.
extension
The number of applicants increased steadily in the 1950s, and the Altemps Palace became too small. In each new year - the study period is between five and seven years - new candidates for priesthood registered. The Spanish episcopate decided to build a new building. Pope Pius XII (1939–1958) laid the foundation stone for the college building designed by the architect José María de la Vega Samper . The property is located on the outskirts of Rome on Via die Torre Rossa. In the autumn of 1965, the new college was officially opened by Pope Paul VI. (1963–1978) opened. The Altemps Palace was returned to the Holy See in 1971 . During the session of the Second Vatican Council , the Spanish participants were accommodated in the new house. Even today, the facilities are used as accommodation for the Spanish bishops.
Goal setting and organization
The college offers a spiritual atmosphere, it provides scientific materials and promotes the formation of priests. The patron of the college is the current chairman of the Spanish Bishops' Conference, which has been Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela and Archbishop of Madrid since 2008 . Today an average of 50-60 seminarians and priests study at the college, they also study at the papal universities and institutions in Rome. Father José San José Prisco has been the rector since 2015.
Some former graduates
in the order of the year of birth
- Cardinal Enrique Pla y Deniel (1876–1968) was Archbishop of Toledo .
- Leopoldo Eijo y Garay (1878–1963) was the Patriarch of the West Indies .
- Manuel Cardinal Arce y Ochotorena (1879–1948) was Archbishop of Tarragona .
- Benjamin de Arriba y Castro (1886–1973) was Archbishop of Tarragona.
- Gregorio Modrego y Casaus (1890–1972) was Archbishop of Barcelona.
- Fernando Cardinal Quiroga y Palacios (1900–1971) was Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela .
- José María Cardinal Bueno y Monreal (1904–1987) was Archbishop of Seville .
- Cardinal Narciso Jubany Arnau (1913–1996) was Archbishop of Barcelona .
- Eduardo Cardinal Martínez Somalo (* 1927) is retired Camerlengo (Cardinal Chamberlain).
- Antonio Montero Moreno (* 1928) is retired Archbishop of Mérida-Badajoz .
- Elías Yanes Álvarez (1928–2018) is retired Archbishop of Saragossa .
- José Luis Martín Descalzo (1930–1991) was a poet and journalist.
- Justo Mullor García (1932-2016) was Titular Archbishop of Emerita Augusta and President Emeritus of the Pontifical Diplomatic Academy .
- Cardinal Lluís Martínez Sistach (* 1937) is Archbishop of Barcelona.
Web links
- Pontificio Colegio Español de San José (Spanish)
- Letter on the 75th anniversary of the Pontifical Spanish College in Rome (December 1, 1967) (Spanish)
- March 28, 1992, centenary of the Pontifical Spanish College of St. Joseph (Italian and Spanish)
Individual evidence
- ↑ DISCURSO DEL SANTO PADRE PÍO XII CON MOTIVO DE LA BENDICIÓN DE LA PRIMERA PIEDRA DE LA NUEVA SEDE DEL PONTIFICIO COLEGIO ESPAÑOL DE ROMA, Jueves 15 de marzo de 1956 [1]
- ↑ José San José Prisco, nuevo Rector del Pontificio Colegio Español en Roma , accessed on September 28, 2018.
- ^ Titular Patriarchal See of Indias Occidentales
Coordinates: 41 ° 53 ′ 42.6 " N , 12 ° 25 ′ 44.7" E