We are on to week six now… entering the second half of our adventure here. Twelve of the fourteen of us went to Venice for two nights this weekend, which made our free morning today especially nice. We had a light day of classes, just art history from 3-5.
Carisa gave an in-depth, enlightening presentation on the Church Triumphant, the history of the Jesuits in Rome, and guided us through the Il Gesu and Sant’Ignazio churches. We debated the methods and intentions of the Jesuits in their evangelical sweep of the globe in the 16th and 17th centuries while sitting on the steps of Il Gesu. The all too familiar roaring, beeping, screeching of the Roman traffic provided an ideal setting for our discussion… joke.
Although the façade of Il Gesu isn’t overly impressive, the inside is spectacular. Upon entering the church, your eyes are immediately drawn to the high alter where there is a massive, gold-encrusted Jesuit emblem. The ceiling is covered with frescoes and statues, creating a three dimensional effect… and the sensation of “ascension”. Everything in the church seems to be in the process of being pulled heavenward.
After visiting both of the Jesuit churches, Lisa took us to one of her favorite cafés and bought us coffee! Lisa is too good to us sometimes… it’s a wonderful thing. I had the best cappuccino I’ve ever tasted in my life; sugary, frothy, and delicious. The point is, today was just a great start to the week.
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