St Isidore’s College, founded in 1625, is marking its 400th anniversary this year. Located in Rome, the College has long been the heart of the Irish Franciscans in Rome and will celebrate the milestone with a series of events throughout 2025, including a symposium scheduled for May.
The Irish Church in Rome will also host the annual St Patrick’s Day Mass on March 17 at 10am. As Guardian Fr Mícheál MacCraith OFM explained, “St Isidore’s College was founded by Waterford man Luke Wadding in 1625 and remains the oldest Irish institution in Rome.”
Dedicated to St Isidore, patron saint of Madrid, the Church is the Irish National Church in Rome. Today, it is home to an international community of Franciscan friars and is the formation house for Irish friars. The College’s core activities include academic research, scientific publications, the education of friars, and the management of two major research libraries.
