it was built in the piazza navona which stood on foundations of an ancient stadium, a material expressionf the idea of eternal rome. the city had survived 100 years of political and religious turmoil, of war and destruction. despite invasions of european monarchs who'd attempted to conquer the city on the pretext of defending it, it had preserved its independence. most important, the catholic church had survived the rise of protestantism and its challenge to rome's authority. it was an extraordinary period of expansion as european colonization and exploration took its influence to the farthest corners of the earth. this roman catholic renewal, which historians call the counter reformation, was given added purpose and vigor by a remarkable group of visionaries. the spanish mystic and philosopher teresa of avila insisted that everyone could experience intense and personal knowledge of god. igtius loyola, founder of the jesuit teaching order, inspired his followers to go to work with spiritual fervor in the real world, and the missionary francis xavier carried to india and japan the message