Sacro Cuore di Gesù a Castro Pretorio

Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at the Praetorian Barracks
Sacro Cuore di Gesù al Castro Pretorio (in Italian) Sacratissimi Cordis Iesu ad Castrum Praetorium (in Latin)
Facade
Click on the map for a fullscreen view
41°54′10″N 12°30′9.5″E / 41.90278°N 12.502639°E / 41.90278; 12.502639
Location	Via Marsala 42, Rome
Country	Italy
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Tradition	Roman Rite
Religious institute	Salesians
Website	basilicadelsacrocuore.it
History
Status	Parish church Titular church Minor basilica Conventual church of the Generalate of the Society of Saint Francis de Sales
Dedication	Sacred Heart
Consecrated	1887
Architecture
Architect(s)	Francesco Vespignani[1]
Architectural type	Church
Style	Renaissance Revival
Groundbreaking	1879
Specifications
Length	70 metres (230 ft)
Width	30 metres (98 ft)
Nave width	14 metres (46 ft)
Number of spires	1

Sacro Cuore di Gesù al Castro Pretorio (English: Sacred Heart of Jesus at the Praetorian Barracks) is a Catholic parish and titular church in Rome, Italy, the mother church of the Salesian Order.

The church was originally planned by Pope Pius IX, the land being bought by him along the via di Porta San Lorenzo, now via Marsala. His intention was to dedicate the church to Saint Joseph, who the Pope had declared Patron of the Universal Church on 8 December 1870. In 1871 however, he decided to dedicate the church to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Construction work began under Pope Leo XIII, who named as architect Francesco Vespignani. Conte Vespignani (1842–1899) was the Architetto dei Sacri Palazzi of Leo XIII,^[2] and also built the College of Sant'Anselmo on the Aventine Hill.^[1] However, the work came to a halt for lack of funds. At this point, the pope entrusted the work to Don Bosco (St. John Bosco). With the pope's permission, Bosco bought an additional 0.55 ha (1.4 acres) of land to construct a boarding school for poor boys, and also a two floor building at the corner of via di Porta San Lorenzo and via Marghera that would serve as a residence for the Salesians. Bosco managed to collect the funds necessary for the construction of the church by appealing to the Catholic world and by making personal journeys to France and to Spain, despite failing health. The church was consecrated on 14 May 1887.^[3]

The campanile (bell tower) was planned by Vespignani, but remained incomplete until 1931, when the imposing statue of the Sacred Heart, donated by Salesian past pupils in Argentina, was placed on it.^[4]

Dedicated to the Sacred Heart, the church is served by the Salesian fathers and brothers. It used to have an adjoining trade school with a hostel.^[when?] At the death of Bosco, only the church and the building on via Marsala had been completed. Under his successor Don Michele Rua, the wings on via Marghera and via Magenta were constructed. When the trade school closed down, its place was taken by a middle school, gymnasium, and liceo classico. It later became the provincial house of the Salesian province (first the IRO and later the ICC) and the offices of the CNOS (Centro Nazionale Opere Salesiane).^[5] Since 2017, it is the seat of the central government of the Salesian Congregation. The complex hosts also a significant work for young migrants, volunteers and university students, along with a hostel for young people managed by the Salesians and the Missionarie di Cristo Risorto.

The church was elevated to the status of a minor basilica in 1921.^[6]

The Church of Sacro Cuore was established as a Deaconry on 5 February 1965 by Pope Paul VI, in anticipation of his creating twenty-seven new cardinals on 28 February 1965.^[7]

• Maximilien de Fürstenberg (pro hac vice to title for a Cardinal Priest) (26 June 1967 – 22 September 1988)
• Giovanni Saldarini (pro hac vice for Cardinal Priest) (28 June 1991 – 18 April 2011)
• Giuseppe Versaldi Cardinal Deacon (since 18 February 2012)

• Massimo Alemanno, Le chiese di Roma moderna Vol. 1 (Roma : Armando, 2004). pp. 27–31.
• Farnedi, Giustino (1999). Guida Alle Chiese Di Roma. Casale Monferrato: Piemme. ISBN 88-384-3087-X.
• Touring Club Italiano (1999), "Il rione Castro Pretorio", Roma, S.L.: Touring Club Italiano, ISBN 88-365-1324-7
• Antonio Sperduti, Monumento di Don Bosco alla Cattedra di Pietro (Genova: B.N. Marconi, 2012).

• "Basilica del Sacro Cuore: a guided tour". 17 November 2007. Retrieved 2010-12-31.

Media related to Sacro Cuore di Gesù (Rome) at Wikimedia Commons