Chiesa del Sacro Cuore del Suffragio, Gothic Revival parish church in Prati district, Rome, Italy
The Chiesa del Sacro Cuore del Suffragio is a Gothic Revival church on Lungotevere Prati, between Via Ulpiano and Via Paolo Mercuri, near the Palace of Justice. Its reinforced-concrete facade has three portals with red Verona marble colonnettes, a large pointed-arch window with a rose window, and nineteen statues of saints chosen by Pope Pius X. The interior has three naves with six bays, pointed arches on polystyle pillars, and grey stone and red brick bands.
Victor Jouët, a Missionary of the Sacred Heart, founded the Association of the Sacred Heart of the Suffrage of the Purgatory Souls in Rome in 1893, and its second oratory stood on Lungotevere Prati from 1896 to 1914. The foundation stone of the new church was blessed in 1894 by Joseph-Jean-Louis Robert, Bishop of Marseille; building to Giuseppe Gualandi's design began in 1908. The church was completed and opened for worship on 1 November 1917, the parish was founded on 10 December, and Pietro Benedetti consecrated it on 17 May 1921.
The church maintains a collection devoted to Catholic beliefs about souls in purgatory, displaying personal objects that connect visitors with their faith. The space serves as a center for prayer and devotion for those who believe in interceding for the deceased.
The church sits near the intersection of Lungotevere Prati and Via Ulpiano, making it easy to find while walking along the Tiber. Regular services happen daily, but it's worth checking opening hours in advance if you want to see the museum collection inside.
The museum archive holds objects that believers consider to bear traces of supernatural events, including scorched textiles and marked personal items. This collection draws people interested in how such phenomena are documented and preserved.
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