Church of Saint Ignatius in Rome with the famous fresco by Pozzo

The Church of St. Ignatius in Rome and its greatest attraction, the Pozzo fresco.

Rome is a city intricately tied to the church, so it’s not surprising that many of its most precious landmarks are temples. Churches are unique attractions that draw various kinds of people. Some visit them out of necessity, driven by the belief that the temple is a place where they can come closer to their deity. Others, in this case, like us, visit them searching for traces left by people who gained fame by creating extraordinary works and buildings of great beauty.

Church of Saint Ignatius in Rome and its history

The Church of St. Ignatius in Rome is a titular church, meaning it was assigned to a diocese directly by the Pope. The temple was built in 1565 on the orders of the Roman aristocrat Vittori della Tolfa, who allocated her lands in the city for the construction of the church and then offered the newly built church to the Jesuit order.

Responsible for the creation of the church was the Roman Jesuit Orazio Grassi, who was involved in mathematical sciences, astronomy, and architecture. He decided to build a temple reminiscent of the famous Church of the Holy Name of Jesus in Rome, which remains the mother church of the Jesuit order in the Eternal City and serves as a model for many Jesuit baroque churches scattered throughout Europe.

The church was constructed in the shape of a cross, with a main nave and three chapels on each side. Each chapel is covered by its own separate dome. The framework of the temple was made of brick, but the finishes and decorations were created using travertine and marble.

The church facade has two levels and consists of Corinthian pilasters surrounding the main entrance and two side entrances. The pilasters support a beam on which the inscription is placed:

Sancto Ignatio, Societatis Iesu fundatori, Ludovicus Cardinalis Ludovisius Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Vice-Cancellarius, Anno Domini MDCXXVI

On the upper level, additional pilasters support another beam with a triangular pediment and window.

For several decades, the Church of St. Ignatius in Rome served as a chapel for students managed by the Jesuits of the Roman College, a school belonging to the Pontifical Gregorian University, specializing in humanities, especially theology and philosophy.

Over time, the building of the temple proved too small for the growing needs of the Jesuits, and it was decided to expand the church and the surrounding areas. Part of the old walls were demolished, and new ones were added. The temple was ready in 1650, and subsequent liturgies took place in the nave of the new church.

The famous fresco on the vault of the Church of Saint Ignatius in Rome

The work on the Church of St. Ignatius in Rome was completed in 1694, marked by the conclusion of the famous fresco in the side chapels, as well as in the sacristy and apse. The artist responsible for decorating the temple was the Jesuit Andrea del Pozzo.

It is precisely this immense fresco on the ceiling of the Church of St. Ignatius in Rome that attracts thousands of tourists from around the world to the temple. It has a width of sixteen meters and a length of thirty-six meters.

The fresco depicts the apotheosis of Ignatius Loyola and his missionary work for the Jesuits. In the painting, you can see Christ and Mary welcoming the saint to heaven. Besides them, there are also allegorical figures representing the four continents converted to Christianity through the work of the Jesuits.

Other scenes depict episodes from the life of St. Ignatius. These include events during the Battle of Pamplona in 1521, which was a prelude to the Sixth Italian War with the French, where St. Ignatius was seriously wounded and miraculously recovered. Additionally, there is the journey to La Storta, where Ignatius decided to become a priest, and the saint’s trip to India.

One of the scenes portrays the saint serving the plague-stricken and receiving priestly vows from St. Francis Borgia. You will also see visions of St. Ignatius and the blessing of St. Francis Xavier.

The immense drawing on the ceiling of the church brings to life and applies in practice the artist’s theories regarding perspective and optical illusions, as discussed in his book “Perspectiva pictorum et architectorum.”

Pozzo ingeniously utilized the vast space of the temple’s ceiling, transforming the flat interior of the church into an almost three-dimensional depiction of heaven. However, it must be observed from designated locations within the temple.

The best vantage point for observing the fresco is the marble circle located in the middle of the church nave. There are several such circles throughout the temple, each allowing the viewer to perceive the drawing in a slightly different way. This effect is achieved through anamorphosis, a deliberate distortion of the image so that the actual message is seen from a predetermined viewpoint.

Another remarkable visual effect is the fresco created by the artist, simulating the interior of a dome, located above the intersection of the transept. Allegedly, during the church’s construction, wealthy and influential residents of this part of Rome objected to the construction of a real dome that would obstruct their view of the surroundings and cast shadows on their gardens. Consequently, the architect had to abandon the construction of a dome on the top of the temple.

Other attractions and monuments in the Church of Saint Ignatius in Rome

In the corners of the temple, figures from the Old Testament such as David, Samson, Judith, and Jael have been placed. It’s worth taking a stroll inside the church and examining them closely; they are very precise and beautiful.

The rich decorations of the main nave and the altar are only a prelude to the splendour of numerous side chapels, where you will see many valuable works of art.

The church has interesting side chapels that are worth seeing

The church space is filled with side chapels, rich carvings and other elements typical of Catholic churches.

Chapel of Saint Stanislaus Kostka in the Church of Saint Ignatius in Rome

This is the first chapel, counting from the right. It is dedicated to Saint Stanisław Kostka, a Polish Jesuit, one of the Catholic patrons of Poland. The chapel is decorated with a painting depicting the saint’s vision. In his visions, he saw the Virgin Mary giving him baby Jesus to kiss.

Chapel of Saint Joseph in the Church of Saint Ignatius in Rome

The next chapel is the one dedicated to Saint Joseph. The decorations are made of marble and silk of various colours, and the front is decorated with two angels. The painting on the altar depicts the death of Saint Joseph.

Chapel of Saint Joachim in the Church of Saint Ignatius in Rome

The next, third chapel is the Chapel of Saint Joachim. The altar is decorated with the painting The Presentation of Mary, painted by Pozzo. In addition to the altar, there is also a relic of Saint Robert Bellarmine.

Chapel of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga in the Church of Saint Ignatius in Rome

In the chapel of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, located at the right end of the transept, there is an altar dedicated to the saint, as well as his relics. The tabernacle is decorated with a relief made of silver, depicting the resurrection. There you will also see the apotheosis of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, as well as a painting of Saint Mary Magdalene de’Pazzi. The rest of the space is filled with two large angels.

Ludovisi Chapel in the Church of Saint Ignatius in Rome

The chapel is located in the right arm of the transept, and within it stands a grand Baroque monument to Pope Gregory XV and his relative, Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi. Above the pope, there is a canopy and marble draperies. The space is filled with two columns made of red marble. The figures surrounding the pope are meant to represent cardinal virtues.

An interesting feature is a fragment of an old fresco, originating from the first church. It depicts the scene of the Annunciation and is the only remaining element from the former temple.

In other parts of the church, you will find the Chapel of Saint Gregory the Great, Saint Francis Xavier, as well as the Chapel of the Crucifix and the Annunciation.

In the centre of the temple, there is a mirror placed in such a way that it makes it easier to see the fresco and what the artist intended to show to the viewers. Thanks to this, you can observe the beautiful and detailed paintings up close and trace the story told by the author. It’s worth waiting in line, which forms almost all the time.

The visit to the temple turned out to be an interesting adventure and a journey through the art of the Baroque period.

Church of Saint Ignatius in Rome information and curiosities

• The Church of St. Ignatius in Rome was built from 1626 to 1650.
• It served as a chapel for students of the Pontifical Gregorian University, the oldest papal university.
• The church, dedicated to St. Ignatius, is renowned for its enormous fresco on the ceiling of the temple.
• This fresco has impressive dimensions: 16 meters in width and 36 meters in length.
• The drawing on the ceiling was created using a technique called anamorphosis. It involves distorting the image so that the real message is visible only from a specific perspective.
• The Church of St. Ignatius is a titular church conferred upon cardinals by the Pope. This title was established in 1991 by Pope John Paul II.
• The Church of St. Ignatius is a historic site that we explore almost all the time, gazing upwards.
• In 1976, the funeral of Luchino Visconti, the famous Italian director, took place in the church.

Polish version