Parrocchia di Santa Maria del Soccorso

This church, which stands on land formerly belonging to the Municipality of Rome, was inaugurated on 24 September 1938, after about a year of work directed by engineer Francesco Fornari. It was designed by engineer Tullio Rossi and built by the Mariani company. It is thirty-one metres long and eighteen metres wide; it has three naves in the form of a basilica with an apse and is embellished with various marbles: travertine, issore green and porphyry red, supplied by the Bruni company.
The beautiful image of the Madonna, venerated under the title of Soccorso, is a gift from Mrs Marianna Pasquali, daughter of the Roman Giovanni Battista Pasquali, who had kept the holy effigy in high honour in her home chapel from September 1870 to December 1898. On his death, Pasquali left it to his daughter Giuseppina, stating that if it was not possible for her to ensure the veneration of the holy image in her home, she could donate it to a public church.

Since the blessed day of its enthronement in this township, which sprung up rapidly on the eve of the war and expanded greatly in the immediate post-war period, the devout and expressive 19th-century composite painting has attracted an ever-growing crowd of the faithful around its altar.
This is due in no small measure to the excellent priests who have taken turns in running the parish, and to the indefatigable Sacramentine Sisters of Bergamo, who, with their well-attended school, after-school activities, workshops, gatherings for the mothers of the pupils, the philodrama and a host of other happy activities, have earned the enthusiastic esteem of the entire population: suffice it to say that, when the superior is changed, the signatures to the letters of protest cannot be counted.

The township, which today has as many as 20,000 inhabitants, experienced the benevolence of its Protectress especially during the war, when, greatly exposed to bombardment, it was absolutely unharmed. The motherly succour was recalled by the following inscription on the graceful shiny travertine shrine of the high altar, designed by engineer Francesco Fornari and built with offerings from the parishioners.
Another reminder of the Mother's piety and the gratitude of her children is the image of the external rose window and a harmonious bell, both inaugurated in 1947. At its inauguration, the parish was entrusted to the Diocesan clergy of Rome, and then, on 23 April 1961 to the Lombardy Province of the Capuchin Friars Minor, and finally, since 01 October 1986, to the Association of Prado Priests: https://www.pradoitaliano.it