The Pontifical University of the Holy Cross was born from the desire of Saint Josemaría Escrivá, founder of Opus Dei, to establish in Rome an academic center for ecclesiastical studies that would be in service to the Church. With prayer and patience, he was able to lay the foundations for the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (Santa Croce).

In 1984, with Pope John Paul II’s blessing, Bishop Álvaro del Portillo – Saint Josemaría Escrivá first successor as the Prelate of Opus Dei– brought to fruition Escrivá’s desire, and inaugurated the initial precursor of Santa Croce, the Academic Roman Center, with a Mass of the Holy Spirit. Thanks to the academic and institutional support of the University of Navarre (Pamplona, Spain), Santa Croce has become a center of study and research that focuses upon theological, philosophical, and canonical formation.

Bishops from around the world send priests and seminarians to Rome to provide them with a solid academic and spiritual formation which fully conforms to the teaching of the Church. In this way, Rome has become the unifying center that reinforces fidelity and adherence to the Apostolic See.

The Pontifical University of the Holy Cross includes the School of Theology, Canon Law, Philosophy and Church Communications. The University also includes as an integral part of its formation the Higher Institute of Religious Sciences, a catechetical institute for teachers of religion. The University’s main campus is in the Palazzo of St. Apollinare in the historic center of Rome, while the Research Center and Library are on Via dei Farnesi, a short walk away.

Through his life and teaching, Saint Josemaría Escrivá pointed out the Lord’s call for each of us to cultivate a profound unity within our lives. This is not only manifested through words and deeds, but also through the harmony that must exist between the professional and intellectual formation on the one hand, and spiritual and theological formation on the other.

Consistent with Saint Josemaría Escrivá’s vision, the University is therefore called to enter into a dialogue with contemporary culture. As a center for ecclesiastical formation, it has become a place where people from diverse cultural backgrounds come together with the common goal of researching and understanding Divine Revelation.
The academic activities, coordinated with an interdisciplinary spirit, open the diverse fields of economics, science, philosophy, and politics, and thereby, create the solid foundation which is necessary for entering into dialogue with the world.