Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (Latin: Pontificia Universitas Sanctae Crucis, Italian: Pontificia Università della Santa Croce) is a Roman Catholic university under the Curial Congregation for Catholic Education, now entrusted to the Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei, or more commonly called Opus Dei.

It was started in 1984 by Opus Dei, with the aim of offering the universal church an effective instrument for formation and research.

The university is open to lay people, both men and women, priests, seminarians, and religious brothers and sisters.

[citation needed] The present Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical University is the Prelate of Opus Dei, Msgr.

According to Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, secretary of the Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education, "For the University of the Holy Cross the adjective 'Pontifical' has never been a merely decorative title, but a qualification which commits it profoundly, inviting it to active fidelity to the Roman Pontiff," and, in union with him, "to the Church as a whole.

It offers an ongoing formation both to its academic staff to students, providing them with information on current issues.

The university sponsors the Center of Research into the Relationship Between Family and Mass Media, as well as supporting several research projects, including Market, Culture and Ethics; Etica e Politika; Poetics and Christianity; and Science, Theology, and the Ontological Quest.

The Grand Chancellors are: The rectors are: For the school year 2013–14, the university has more than 1,050 students, about half from Europe and one-third from the Americas, with the others coming from Africa and Asia (both about one-tenth) and Oceania (less than one percent).

In his ineffable love, the crucified Christ reveals in a striking way the Father's infinite mercy for human beings in all ages.[...]