A 300-Year-Old Tradition Reveals St. Ignatius of Loyola in Rome
The Church of the Gesù is known for a unique 300-year-old Baroque tradition
On your way from Piazza Venezia to St. Peter’s Square, you will find kitty-cornered the humble Church of the Gesù, the mother church of the Jesuits.
The church was built in 1568 after St. Ignatius’ death and holds Baroque architect and painter, Andrea Pozzo’s first masterpiece, the altar and tomb of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
“This altar is the most important altar for every Jesuit because the body of St. Ignatius is buried here and the program of this altar is fantastic,” said Fr. Jean Paul Hernandes, Theology of Art Professor at Gregorian University.
The art of Baroque was developed to evoke spiritual emotions in response to the Protestant Reformation by using vivid colors and elaborate movements, such as the trompe l’oeil technique, an optical illusion that gives a two-dimensional object the impression of three-dimensions.
The church was decorated with one precise message: The name of Jesus as the synthesis of the way to be in intimacy with the Lord.
“So how to pray — just say Jesus, just say the name of Jesus, just speak with Jesus like to a friend. And that is the teaching of the Spiritual Exercises,” Hernandes explained.
The painting above the tomb portrays Jesus Christ giving the flag of his mission to Ignatius. This represents the evangelization of the announcement of the Gospel as the continuation of the Incarnation.
“It’s bringing further the message of the Lord, the love of the Lord in this world,” Hernandes defined as the foundation of the Society of Jesus.
Out of the hundreds of Catholic Churches in Rome, the Church of the Gesù is also known for performing a 300-year-old Baroque tradition.
The clock strikes half-past five. Brilliant lights turn heads towards Pozzo’s masterpiece and all of a sudden, the painting starts descending by pulleys and ropes to reveal a silver-plated statue of St. Ignatius.
“The effect is that it’s like if Ignatius goes up, up, up to the heaven, coming from his urn, from his tomb to the higher level, to the heaven, and that’s why we have the same image of the statue represented in the arch above, over the altar, and also on the dome,” Hernandes interprets. This repetition of St. Ignatius illustrates the saint climbing to heaven to be presented to the Lord by St. Peter.
On the occasion of St. Ignatius of Loyola’s feast day, July 31, General Superior of the Society of Jesus, Fr. Arturo Sosa Abascal, will celebrate Mass at 7 p.m. at the Church of the Gesù.
