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Pope Leo XIV Honors Catholic Roots of Oxford’s Oriel College
Confirmed
In Short: Pope Leo XIV celebrated the Catholic origins of Oriel College during a meeting at the Vatican, emphasizing the college's historical significance.
During a meeting at the Vatican, Lord Neil Mendoza, the provost of Oriel College, presented Pope Leo XIV with an original 17th-century engraving from the first illustrated book of Oxford, published in 1675.
On September 4, Pope Leo XIV highlighted the 700th anniversary of Oriel College's royal charter, calling it an opportunity to celebrate its Catholic roots and the contributions of 19th-century British intellectual John Henry Newman, whom he praised as a shining example of faith and reason.
The Pope encouraged current students to form a community of faith and scholarship, noting the college's long and illustrious history, which includes its founding as the College of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1324, later renamed Oriel after a property called 'La Oriole'.
Originally part of the University of Oxford, Oriel College played a significant role in the 19th-century Oxford Movement, serving as its heart. Pope Leo XIV's visit underscored the enduring connection between the college and the Catholic faith.
Background
Oriel College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. Located in Oriel Square, the college has the distinction of being the oldest royal foundation in Oxford.
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- He called the 19th-century British intellectual a “shining example of a scholar who not only showed the inseparability of faith and reason in his works but even more admirably in his life.” The Pope received about 20 leaders from Oriel College, accompanied by Cardinal Wim Eijk (the archbishop of Utrecht), at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace.
- However, King Edward II of England only officially approved the founding of Oriel College in 1326.