Jesuit Church of Il Gesu’ (Rome) – Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola / Giacomo della Porta

The church of Il Gesu’, being the first large church built after the Council of Trent, established a type of proto-type for the development of Baroque architecture, especially in churches. For more then two centuries, its architectural design had been reproduced in countless other churches, especially Jesuit ones, all over Europe. Ignatius of Loyola’s new religious order, the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) had been approved by Pope Paul III in 1540. By the time of Ignatius' death in 1556, the Jesuits numbered 1,000 in nine European provinces, and following the pioneer work of Francis Xavier in the Far East, were sending missionaries far and wide. Ignatius transposed his soldierly ideals to the religious sphere, creating a tightly structured, rigorously trained, and deeply committed organisation. The Society became the Pope's "army" in the Counter Reformation, using as its weapons advanced academic studies, the education of youth, and zealous missionary activities. The Jesuits almost im...