Many of us are familiar with the term il Quartiere italiano or “Little Italy”. We often associate it with New York in the United States, but London has its own “little Italy” in a part called Clerkenwell. Fundamental to the Italian community in this part of London is St. Peter’s Italian Church. But before we begin, here’s a heads up: we’re heading off to Rome in one of our travel guides to review churches such as the Pantheon. Be sure to give us a ‘like’ on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to us on YouTube for the latest updates. ChurchMapped is an upcoming travel website showcasing churches around the world. We are also in the process of launching a games, jobs, music and dating service too! Now back to where I was. Before St. Peter’s church was known as St. Peter’s church, it was actually known as The Church Of Saint Peter Of All Nations. And that’s reflected in the demographics of those who played a part in the church’s beginnings: they were from Ireland, Italy and Poland. That diversity is still reflected in London today, which has people from all over the world, and more people than approximately 132 countries around the world. The church was built at a time when many immigrants were arriving from Italy and Ireland into England. Many arrived in London, and with the huge influx also came a need for a place to worship. A bit like the situation of Guardian Angels church in Mile End, London where locals had to trek quite a bit to worship – do check our travel guide out - up until the construction of St Peter’s Italian church, many Italian Catholics had to worship at the Royal Sardinian Chapel in Lincoln’s Inn which was some distance away. The chapel is now demolished. A priest by the name of Vincent Pallotti, who is actually now a saint, petitioned for a church to be built to accommodate demand from the local community. It was Pope Pius IX who suggested that the church should be dedicated to St. Peter. Speaking of St. Peter, do check out our travel guide of Cologne Cathedral in Germany whilst you get the time – the gigantic church there is also dedicated to St. Peter. The initial church was quite ambitious. But owing to a lack of funds, the execution of the church had to be a lot smaller than envisaged. It was finally consecrated on the 16th April 1863 and with the help of Irish architect Sir John Miller-Bryson. It was, at least at the time of completion, the only church to be completed in the Roman basilican style. In addition, it was, up until that point, the largest Catholic church in London. Let’s take a look a closer look at the architecture of St Peter’s Italian church. In the facade features Jesus Christ. On the left is St. Bede, a very important saint in England because of one of his works documenting the history of English people. On the right is St. George, the patron saint of England. He also featured in one of our earlier travel guides – check out St. George’s church in Cologne, Germany. If you look at the artwork, you will see that they depict scenes. They are from the Bible. On the left is the account of the miracle performed by Jesus in the Bible where the Disciples catch more fish than they could possibly handle through His divine help. On the right is the account of Jesus giving St. Peter the keys to Heaven. The bell of the church is noted for its size. It is one of the largest bells in England and it is nicknamed “the Steel Monster”. Cardinal Wiseman, who played a major role in Westminster Cathedral, consecrated the bell in March 1863 prior to the consecration of the actual church, and the tower which houses the bell was finally completed in 1891. The construction of the church was miraculous in some respects because it came at a time of intense hostility towards Catholics. Catholics had just been granted “emancipation” or the freedom to practice their religion. Plans to construct the church aroused intense anger among members of the political class, with some arguing that it would be unwise for a church dedicated to St. Peter for Catholics be erected in a city where the leading church was the Anglican St. Paul’s cathedral. Furthermore, in 1883, about 20 years after the consecration of St. Peter’s Italian church, Queen Victoria (then the reigning monarch in England) granted permission for the Italian procession of Our Lady of Mount Carmel to be held. This was a hugely significant event because it was the first outdoor Catholic event since the Reformation initiated by King Henry VIII which greatly restricted the ability of Catholics to worship openly, and the event still takes place to this very day and remains a significant celebration for the Italian community in London. Let’s step a bit closer and head to the loggia of the church. Featured is a memorial plaque commemorating the lives of those who died aboard the SS Arandora Star. It was made by Eduardo Palozzi who lost his father, uncle and grandfather in the tragedy. Also featured is a plaque commemorating the lives of those who died in the First World War. Now let’s head inside! One of the distinctive things about the church is the emphasis on Italian saints – well, one would expect that, in a church created primarily for the Italian community! Featured in the church are Saint Francis of Paola (not to be confused with St. Francis of Assisi!), who founded a religious order known as the Order of Mims. He is distinct in that unlike many founders of religious orders, he was not actually a priest. Also featured is Saint Calogero, the patron saint of Sicily. Furthermore, Saint Franca of Piacenza is also featured, and she was an Cistercian abbess from the 18th century. There are also a number of other figures such as Saint Padre Pio and the man who founded the church himself, St. Vincent Pallotti. That’s it fellow ChurchMappers! Are you an Italian or have memories of St Peter’s Italian church? Then be sure to leave a comment below. In our next travel guide, we’ll be heading to Farm Street Church in London, England as well as the Church Of Our Blessed Lady of the Sablon in Brussels, Belgium. If you are curious about churches around the world then do subscribe to us, give us a ‘like’ on Facebook and be sure to follow us on Twitter over @ChurchMapped. You might be interested in seeing The Cathedral Of Saint Paul – be sure to check our travel guide on St. Paul, Minnesota whilst you are still here. But we do more than just talk about locations around the world and churches. Did you know we’re launching a dating website? That’s right! Or that we are launching a games service too? Yup, that’s right. We are also launching a music and jobs service as well. Until next time guys! Ciaooooo!