Parishioners of Italian origin, their families and friends (amici), and everyone interested in the historic links between Scotland and Italy are warmly invited to visit a fascinating exhibition celebrating one of Rome’s lesser-known Scottish treasures.
The Church of St Andrew of the Scots (Sant’Andrea degli Scozzesi), situated on Via delle Quattro Fontane in Rome, has its origins in the late 16th century, when Pope Clement VIII sought to provide a spiritual home and educational opportunities for Scottish Catholics during the difficult years following the Reformation.
The nearby Pontifical Scots College was founded in 1600 to train young Scottish men for the priesthood, at a time when Catholic education was severely restricted in Scotland. The College moved to Via delle Quattro Fontane in 1604, and the Church of St Andrew, built beside it in the 1640s, became an important centre of Scottish Catholic life in Rome.
It maintained close associations with the exiled Stuart royal family. James Francis Edward Stuart, the Old Pretender, visited the College in 1717, while his son, Bonnie Prince Charlie, is also recorded as having visited the institution. These connections reflect the important place of the Scottish Catholic community in the life of Jacobite Rome.
For more than three centuries, generations of Scottish seminarians worshipped there before returning home to serve the Church in Scotland. The church also witnessed visits associated with the exiled Stuart royal family.
The church ceased regular use when the Scots College left the site in 1962, moving to new premises on the Via Cassia in 1964. The historic church was subsequently deconsecrated in 2004 and is no longer open for regular public worship.
Now, an exhibition entitled The Church of St Andrew of the Scots alle Quattro Fontane – An Immersive Experience Inside a Hidden Gem of Scotland in Rome offers visitors a rare opportunity to explore this remarkable building through modern immersive technology.
The exhibition is being held at the Italian Institute of Culture, 20–22 East London Street, Edinburgh, until Friday 18th December 2026.
Admission is free, although advance booking is required.
We extend a particularly warm invitation to our Italian parishioners and friends to discover this fascinating reminder of the centuries-old bonds of faith, friendship and culture between Scotland and Italy.
Un caloroso benvenuto a tutti i nostri amici italiani! – A warm welcome to all our Italian friends!