Funerary Monument of Pope Gregory XV

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Funerary monument of Pope Gregory XV and Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi

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The huge and extravagantly ornate funerary monument of Pope Gregory XV (r. 1621-23) and his nephew Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi (1595-1632), which stands in the 17th century church of Sant' Ignazio di Loyola a Campo Marzio, was designed by the French sculptor Pierre Legros (1666-1719), and created between 1709 and 1719. 

The two seated allegorical statues represent Religion and Munificence and have been attributed to the French sculptor Pierre-Etienne Monnot (1657-1733).  

The church is dedicated to St Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), the Spanish soldier and theologian, who founded the Society of Jesus, better known as the Jesuits.

The amusing inscription on the monument proclaims: ALTER IGNATIVM ARIS ALTER ARAS IGNATIO (One raised Ignatius to the altar, the other raised an altar to Ignatius).

Íñigo López de Loyola was canonised by Pope Gregory XV on March 12th, 1622, while the building of the church was funded by the pope's fabulously wealthy nephew, Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi (1595-1632). 

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Funerary monument of Pope Gregory XV and Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi

Funerary monument to Pope Gregory XV