THE
P RTAL
July 2018
Page 6
San Giorgio in
Velabro, Rome
Donato Tallo visits John Henry Newman’s Titular Church
D espite not
being one of the seven pilgrim churches of Rome or one of the Papal Basilicas, the
Church of San Giorgio in Velabro is a very beautiful and interesting church that no visitor to the eternal
city of Rome should omit to visit.
Dedicated to St George, the church is located very venerated in the East and is also patron saint of England.
close to the river Tiber and is only a short distance
away from both the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill.
The church of San Giorgio is believed to date back
Unlike many other churches in Rome, San Giorgio in to the seventh century and is located in a very ancient
Velabro is not overly furnished with statues, artwork and historically important part of the city of Rome.
and mosaics. However, its beauty in its simplicity is
what gives this church its distinct and unique charm.
The church is well known for being slightly wonky,
but in many respects this adds to the charm of the
There is a very peaceful and calm feeling inside the building. The apse dates back to the ninth century and
church and it is certainly a place where a visitor to Rome it is quite clear to see that the church narrows going
can pray and meditate in both peace and stillness. The towards the altar. The external portico is crooked and
Church of San Giorgio will be of particular interest to again this adds a distinctive and unique charm to the
members and those associated with the Ordinariate church, and while the front of the church building is
of Our Lady of Walsingham, because San Giorgio in very plain and simple, it is pleasing to the eyes.
Velabro was the church that was given to John Henry
Newman as his titular church in Rome when he
Upon entering the church, one’s eyes are immediately
became a Cardinal.
drawn towards the baldacchino and apse and one
cannot fail to notice the Blessed Sacrament, which
From 1879-1890 Cardinal John Henry Newman is reserved in a simple yet worthy tabernacle that is
(who is the patron of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of elevated on a platform accessible by a staircase.
Walsingham and who of course is now Blessed) had the
full title of Cardinal Deacon of San Giorgio in Velabro.
Old stonework and fragments from parts of the church in
A titular church in Rome is a church that is assigned to past years can be found in the side aisles of the church and
a Cardinal and it was clearly quite fitting that the church a Latin inscription to Cardinal John Henry Newman can
assigned to Cardinal Newman was one dedicated to be found on the right hand wall of the church shortly after
St George who is a martyr who was and still is heavily entering through the main doors.
Auntie Joanna writes ... continued from page 4
And then it has a consoling word:
“Yet ere thy craven spirit faints
Hear thine own King, the King of Saints
Though thou were toiling in the grave
‘Tis He can cheer thee. He can save”
Well, I did warn you that the rhymes are fairly awful.
But to hear a voice from the early 19 th century, sternly
rebuking fellow-clergy for feelings of hopelessness or
discouragement, is somehow to lift the thick blanket
that hangs between that era and our own, and to
find a sense of solidarity. The 19 th century revi val
was messy – Keble had no time for Rome, and John
Henry Newman, who had so loved The Christian Year,
took the Romeward path that leads to true unity. John
Wesley, essentially a High Churchman in so many
respects, left a clutter of differing forms of Methodism
few of which linger in Britain today.
But in a sense all of us – yes, cradle Catholics too
– owe much to their work and their prayers. And
Keble knew that nothing in the task of Christian
evangelisation is easy. And we must keep going:
“Thou Framer of the light and dark
Steer through the Tempest Thine own ark
Amid the howling wintry sea
We are in port if we have Thee.”