Church of Saint Athanasius Sant’Atanasio (Italian) S. Athanasii (Latin) |
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Facade of Sant'Atanasio. |
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Basic information | |
Location | Rome, Italy |
Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
Rite | Byzantine Rite |
Ecclesiastical or organizational status | National Church in Rome of Greece, Titular church |
Leadership | Vacant |
Website | Official website |
Architectural description | |
Architect(s) | Martino Longhi the Elder |
Architectural type | Church |
Architectural style | Baroque |
Groundbreaking | 1580 |
Completed | 1583 |
The Church of Saint Athanasius (Italian: Sant’Atanasio, Latin: S. Athanasii) is a Roman Catholic titular church in Rome, built for use of a Greek College for the formation of Catholic clergy in the Eastern Rite, upon the formation of the Congregation of the Greeks by Pope Gregory XIII. In 1872 the church was entrusted to the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. On the 22 February 1962 Pope John XXIII granted it a titular church as a seat for Cardinals.[1] At present the Titulus San Athanasii is vacant and has been vacant since 1984.
The facade is placed between two towers covered with domes, which is divided into two horizontal bands by a marble ledge. Either side of a large window is written an inscription, one in Greek and the other in Latin in honor of Saint Athanasius. On the left stands a tower clock, donated by Pope Clement XIV in 1771, which faces the palace of the Pontifical Greek College.