Holy Ghost Genoa - International and outgoing, like this ancient maritime city


There has been an Anglican Church in Genova (Genoa) since at least 1818. The first services were held in the home of the British Consul. The present building, dedicated to the Holy Ghost, dates from 1873 and is an architectural gem. It was designed by the famous British architect George Edmund Street who also designed the Law Courts in the Strand, London. The Romanesque style draws from typical architecture from this Ligurian region of Italy.


The city of Genoa has a long maritime history. Christopher Columbus is perhaps the most famous son of the city. Today it is still the second busiest port in Italy. True to this heritage the congregation of Holy Ghost Church is very international and outgoing. At last Sunday's Eucharist I met parishioners who hailed originally from England, Italy, Ghana, Chile, Japan, Switzerland, and Nigeria.


The congregation is also growing in faith and modestly in numbers. Eight persons were confirmed last Sunday. A splendid community lunch was held in the church after the mass, providing a time for members and visitors share a convivial meal.


For many years the Church of the Holy Ghost Genoa has been served by a rota of very dedicated locum priests. With the future development and growth of the Church in mind, the Archdeacon and I are now in conversation with the parish leadership about a possible resident priest. But I must pay tribute to the locum clergy and to the energetic lay leaders who have nurtured the congregation to the point where I believe there is a very bright future ahead.





Comments

  1. David Emmott9 April 2017 at 09:58

    That is a wonderful appreciation Bishop David. It is so encouraging and good to see that the vibrancy and optimism carries on. As an occasional locum priest I look forward to following future developments.

    ReplyDelete

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