Sacred Space
St. Paul’s Within the Walls was built to be more than a place in which worship happens. The building itself tells a story of faith. Consecrated in 1876 as the first Protestant church constructed within the walls of Rome, its Gothic Revival architecture creates a strikingly different sacred space amid the churches and monuments of the Eternal City. Yet what makes St. Paul’s particularly remarkable is the way its architecture and art work together, drawing the eye—and the imagination—toward the story of God.
Most distinctive are the extraordinary mosaics designed by Edward Burne-Jones and created by William Morris and the artists of Morris & Co. Filling the apse and other parts of the church with brilliant color, they bring together biblical figures, saints, angels, and images of the heavenly Jerusalem. Alongside them are works by other important artists associated with the church, including the American sculptor George Breck. The result is a space shaped by the artistic currents of the nineteenth century but intended for something timeless: prayer, worship, beauty, and encounter with the holy.
For nearly 150 years, people have entered St. Paul’s from the busy streets of Rome and found something different within its walls—a place of stillness and color, memory and hope. We invite you not simply to look at the art, but to experience the church as it was intended: as sacred space, where beauty opens us to the presence of God.
Dear Friends,
In a few weeks we embark on what many call the “program year.” It’s when we resume our regular activities, such as choir rehearsals, Wednesday evening gatherings, and other gatherings. However, I would like for us not to think about it as “programs.” When we gather, we are first the body of Christ. We are children of God called to be one, to love one another, pray for one another, and commune with God together. When we gather, we’re doing programs; instead, we are God’s people gathering and being formed by the Spirit. This is way more than programs, this is a special calling. So, come together, come with open hearts, come with God’s love, come to love.