Sodality Pilgrimage to Rome, Sept 2011, Day IV - Four extraordinary Roman treats

Time for the fourth day - full of rare and special treats for experience-hungry Catholic pilgrims.

Our first stop is the church San Ignazio, (Picture 1) built to give honour to Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus - the Jesuit order - whose main church is Il Gesu, also in Rome, but we'll get to that later. St. Ignatius was born late in the 15th century, he was a noble man and an officer who, while recovering from wounds of battle, studied the life of Jesus and the saints and realised that his life was better spent in the service of Our Lord. The church San Ignazio in connected with the Roman College; where the church dome should be is instead an observatory and so the church ceiling has the inside of a cupola painted. Since our guide, had arranged it beforehand a special guide provided by the Church authorities met us in the church and took us up across the roof and into the rooms of Saints Aloysius Gonzaga and John Berchmans (Picture 2) - both of whom are buried in the church and both of whom, together with St. Stanislaus Kostka, are Jesuit Patron Saints of students.

After stopping to say the little office in the private chapel of the students we were then taken to the Prima Primaria chapel (picture 3). The Prima Primaria was the first sodality, the one that not only inspired but also approved all the other ones. Stopping for lunch - more tasty Italian pasta - and then on to the next stop;

Il Gesu (Picture 4), the main church for the Jesuit order. This church has been the model for churches all around the world - the architecture is swishy, the decor even swishier with frescoes actually escaping from their frames and jumping out at you. But more of the main church later; our stunning guide had arranged for us to visit the chapel of the Sodality of the Nobles (picture 5). The Sodality of the Nobles is one of the few sodalities still active, devoted to the Assumption of Our Lady, the walls of their chapel's adorned with pictures of her and scenes from her life, assumption and coronation. Another bit of the little office prayed and we headed back into the main basilica for the Revelation of Saint Ignatius. Every evening at 5.30 a dazzling spectacle takes place that sends shivers down your spine. Unable to describe it I can only recommend everyone to stop by when visiting Roma.