Rome has a special place in the hearts of the members of the Society of Jesus who are meeting there to elect a new leader and consider the state of the order and its work. They are praying, pondering and debating in a city full of the tangible fabric of their history

In a small church in the village of La Storta outside Rome in 1537, St Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) had a vision of God the Father and Jesus carrying the Cross. Ignatius discerned his calling from this vision with a message from God that included these words: Ego tibi Romae propitius ero (“I will be favourable to you in Rome”).

He kept his word because, with the support of the then Pope, Paul III, Ignatius laid the foundations for what was to become the Catholic Church’s biggest male order, the Society of Jesus. Rome was, and is, the world centre of Jesuit mission, learning and spirituality. It is a heritage that cannot fail to resonate with the 215 Jesuits meeting there for the next six weeks or so. Below are some of the key stops on a Jesuit trail of the city.