 Bernini's Ecstasy of St Teresa, (c)Don Edgar, 2003 The interior of this tiny church follows all of the rules of the Baroque period--sumptuousness, gold everywhere and lots of colour. The masterpiece in the Cornaro Chapel, to the left of the altar, is Bernini's "Ecstasy of St. Teresa." The incident depicts a moment described by the Saint in her biography, where she had the vivid vision of an angel piercing her heart with a golden shaft, causing her both immense joy and pain. The flowing robes and contorted posture abandon classical restraint and repose to depict a more passionate, almost voluptous trance.
The church has seen a surge in tourism growth thanks to the widepread popularity of author Dan Brown's novel Angels & Demons, which features the church.
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