the church was constructed by a Jesuit, the physician and mathematician François d'Aguilon. After his dead in 1617 he was replaced by local architect Pieter Huyssens. Construction of the church started in 1614 and was already finished in 1621. It was modeled after the Jesuits' main church in Rome, the Chiesa del Gesù. Part of the decorations, including the painted ceiling, are attributed to local master painter Pieter Paul Rubens.Lightning struck the church in 1718, starting a fire which destroyed much of the interior.It was soon restored by J.P. Van Baurscheit I, but much of the interior - including the original marble and 39 ceiling paintings by P.P. Rubens - was lost.