Saint Ignatius Church (San Francisco)

The Saint Ignatius Church you see today is actually the fifth iteration of a project that began with remarkably humble origins. In October eighteen fifty-five, when the very first St. Ignatius Academy opened its doors on Market Street, the Jesuit founders eagerly waited for students to arrive. By the end of the day, only three children had shown up for classes. The Jesuits persisted despite such a quiet beginning, and the institution eventually evolved into the University of San Francisco, with this hilltop church serving as its spiritual anchor.