Conceived as telling the story of St. Ignatius, it is a theatrical performance of Baroque theatre that evangelizes through beauty. This is a historic example of mechanization used to create a stage effect in a church. In short, a Jesuit embodiment of theatre as an experiment to teach the Faith.
Spoiler alert: the highlight is at the end when the central painting of the side altar is lowered, only to reveal a magnificent statue of the saint, the church's masterpiece, depicted in heaven, gleaming in sliver and jewels.
This is called the 'macchina barocca' (in English, the Baroque Machine), made between 1696 and 1700. It was created by the artist Andrea Pozzo, SJ, an Italian Jesuit architect, painter, stage designer, decorator, and author. The music is by Domenico Zipoli, an Italian Jesuit composer from the Baroque period who was a missionary in Argentina, where he died serving the native populations.
During the day the statue remains hidden behind the painting. When the service starts and the triumphal Baroque music plays, spotlights are used to highlight various aspects of the altar while the narrator describes aspects of the history and spirituality of the Jesuits. The painting is lowered in under a few minutes by the "machine" into the altar, revealing the statue.
Today the audio sound of the event is from a recording, although the service in previous generations would have been performed live.
The grandiose chapel was designed by Pozzo who was given the prestigious commission in 1695 after winning a competition. He also designed the altar in the chapel of St. Francis Borgia in the same church.
The altar contains the mortal remains of the saint. Rare marbles were used and precious metals and stones.
The Blessed Trinity is represented on top of a globe of lapis lazuli, representing the earth (once thought to be solid stone, it is actually mortal decorated with the stone). The four lapis lazuli veneered columns are made of exquisite blue marble from Persia. They enclose the colossal statue.
Enclosed in the backdrop is the colossal silver statue of St. Ignatius, by the artist Pierre Le Gros the Younger, a renowned French Baroque sculptor who worked in Rome.The statue is covered by a painting attributed to Pozzo of St. Ignatius receiving the monogram with the holy name of Jesus from the resurrected Christ.
The entire project had more than one-hundred sculptors and craftsman working on the project, including other great ones such as Bernardino Ludovisi, Il Lorenzone and Jean-Baptiste Teodon.
Le Gros also got his commission in 1695, also the result of a competition for a marble group to be placed on the altar in recognition of the founder. The enterprise is regarded as one of the most truly stunning and unique sculptural projects every conceived.
Pozzo as the architect provided paintings of all the sculptures and reliefs as guides for their composition, while leaving details to the individual sculptors.
Le Gros created four large marble figures on the altar's right side, with the subject: 'Religion overthrowing heresy.' One statue is of a towering women, Mother Church, with a cross and bundle of flames, towering as the one true religion. She drives out heresy, personified as an old witch tearing our oer hair next to a flailing man with a serpent.
A gleeful cherub angel tearing pages from the heretical books of the Protestant Reformers. To leave no doubt as to which heretics are being referenced, the three books bear the names of Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli. The artist based the facial expressions on real models.
The statue was cast in silver by Johann Friedrich Ludwig, and was finished in 1699. However, the present version is not fully the original.
Sadly, when Napolon invaded Rome during the Roman Republic (1798-1799), making it a sister republic of Revolutionary France, he sole all the valuable metals from churches and museums across Europe and beyond. Pope Pius VI was forced to pay war reparations to Napoleon, as established by the Treaty of Tolentino, in 1797.
In 1798 it was therefore dismantled and the head, arms, and legs as well as the accompanying angels were stolen and melted down for their material value. Fortunately, the chasuble was left intact. Later, the missing parts were remade with slight variations in silver coated plaster, made from 1803-1804, probably by Adamo Tadolini, working under the supervision of the sculptor Canova.
Below is a text of the service:On the eve of the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, the doctors said that unless he felt improvement by midnight he could be counted as dead. He had a regular devotion to Saint Peter, and so Our Lord willed that on this same night he should begin to find himself better. And his improvement progressed so much that within a few days it was judged he was out of danger of death. (The autobiography of Saint Ignatius, 3)
(Music)
The three Divine Persons gazed over the whole surface of the world filled with people. Seeing they were all going down into hell, they decided from Their eternity that the Second Person would become a human being in order to save the human race. (Spiritual Exercises, 102)
(Music: Gloria Gloria Gloria in excelsis Deo!) (Domenico Zipoli)
Blessed be God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ […] He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world […] He predestined us to be His adopted sons and daughters through Jesus Christ […] in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of His grace which he has generously poured out on us. With all wisdom and insight, He has made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His benevolence which He set forth in Him, regarding His plan of the fullness of the times, to bring all things together in Christ, those in heaven and those on the earth. (Eph 1:3-10)
(Music)
I have come to bring fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already blazing! (Luke 12:49)
(Music)
The Lord says, “My will is to conquer the whole world and every enemy, and so enter into the glory of my Father! Therefore all those who want to come with me will have to labor with me, so that by following me in my suffering, they may also follow me into glory.” (Spiritual Exercises, 95)
(Music)
Those who will want to commit themselves more, and to distinguish themselves in service to their eternal King and universal Lord, will not only offer themselves physically for the task, but also by going against the inclinations of their senses, their disordered affections, and worldly vanity and so will offer greater and more important sacrifices, saying, (Spiritual Exercises, 97)
(Music)
“Eternal Lord of all things, I make my offering, with your favor and help. I make it in the presence of your infinite Goodness, and of your glorious Mother, and of all the holy men and women in your heavenly court. I wish and desire, and it is my deliberate decision, provided only that it is for your greater service and praise, to imitate you in bearing all injuries and affronts, and any poverty, actual as well as spiritual, if your Most Holy Majesty desires to elect and receive me into such a life and state.” (Spiritual Exercises, 98)
(Music: Miserere, miserere)… (Domenico Zipoli)
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith; in the future there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have longed with love for his appearing. (2 Tim 4:7-8)
(Music: Alleluia alleluia) … (Domenico Zipoli)
Soul of Christ, sanctify me,
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me,
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, comfort me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
In your wounds, hide me.
Do not allow me to be separated from You.
Defend me from the enemy.
At the hour of my death, call me, and
Let me to come to You,
That with your saints I may praise you,
forever and ever.
Amen.
(Prayer of sec. XIV, at the beginning of the Spiritual Exercises)
(Music: Alleluia alleluia) … (Domenico Zipoli)
The Lord says: Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may behold My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. (Jn 17:24)
Music: Gloria, Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo! (Domenico Zipoli)
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