Constructed in 1564, but extended and modified by several later architects, this was the first church in Sicily built by the Jesuits. Regrettably, it was another victim of the 1943 bombings. Don't judge this church by its plain facade, however. Its interior is a triumph of baroque extravagance. Everywhere you look is an outstanding example of exuberant Sicilian Baroque, with marble adornments, stucco reliefs, polychrome intarsias, and a collection of paintings and sculpted works. All this overlay took centuries to complete. The magnificent porticoed courtyard gives access to the Biblioteca Comunale, the public library known as "Casa Professa." Filled with ancient manuscripts and incunabula, it also displays 300 portraits of illustrious men.