San Giuseppe al Trionfale

San Giuseppe al Trionfale is a 20th-century minor basilica and titular church in Rome,^[4] located immediately north of the Vatican, dedicated to Saint Joseph.^[5][6][7]

San Giuseppe al Trionfale
Basilica of Saint Joseph on the Triumphal Way
Basilica Parocchiale San Giuseppe al Trionfale
Façade. The bronze doors were modified in 2013.[1]
Click on the map for a fullscreen view
41°54′42″N 12°27′06″E
Location	Via Bernardino Telesio 4/B, Trionfale, Rome
Country	Italy
Language(s)	Italian
Denomination	Catholic
Tradition	Roman Rite
Religious order	Servants of Charity
History
Status	titular church, parish church, minor basilica
Founder(s)	Luigi Guanella
Dedication	Saint Joseph
Consecrated	19 March 1912[2]
Relics held	Contains the purported mantle of St. Joseph and veil of the Virgin Mary[3]
Architecture
Functional status	active
Architect(s)	Aristide Leonori
Architectural type	Neoclassical
Groundbreaking	1909
Completed	1912
Administration
Diocese	Rome

History

San Giuseppe in Via Trionfale was built in 1909–12, designed in Neoclassical style by Aristide Leonori.^[8][9] It was the project of Luigi Guanella, founder of the Servants of Charity.^[10]

On 7 June 1967, it was made a titular church to be held by a cardinal-deacon.^[11] In 1970 it was made a minor basilica.

Cardinal-Deacons

• Egidio Vagnozzi (1967–1980);^[12] promoted to cardinal-priest in 1973
• Giuseppe Casoria (1983–2001); promoted to cardinal-priest in 1993^[13]
• Severino Poletto (2001–2022); created a cardinal-priest^[14][15]
• Emil Paul Tscherrig (2023–present)^[16]

Structure

The basilica has a central nave with side aisles with nine bays. The façade is rendered in peach, with architectural details in white, and dado in limestone.^[17][18]

The interior is in a Baroque style, with Corinthian columns in pinkish-grey Baveno granite with gilded capitals. Stained glass windows depict Pope Pius IX, Pope Pius X and Pope Benedict XV. Mosaics in the apse were added in 1964 to designs by Pio and Silvio Eroli, with scenes from the life of Saint Joseph.^[19] The spandrel of the triumphal arch shows Christ in majesty with scenes featuring the four patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, son of Jacob.^[20] Silvio Consadori added twelve frescos in 1971.^[21]