The Jesuits of early modern Italy exercised as broad an array of ministries as would be found in any region of the world. While in the past they were viewed almost solely in terms of teaching in the many colleges they founded there, recent research has emphasized other works including the organization of lay confraternities, domestic missions in urban and rural areas, and the arts. These works, moreover, reflect an interdependence on one another that underlines the complexities of Jesuit ministries. No city in Italy experienced the presence of the Jesuits more strongly than Rome. From the arrival of Ignatius to the suppression of the Society, the Jesuits left a strong imprint on the city. No religious order prior to them was as centered on Rome as were the Jesuits. This was largely due to the authority of the Superior General in the administration of the Order and its central administration in the city. Moreover, the Jesuits consciously sought out the patronage of popes and powerful cardinals as a means to support their works. With such support, the Jesuits in Rome avoided many of the conflicts that they found in other cities of Italy such as Milan and Venice. Rome's centrality in Jesuit undertakings in Italy also arose from Ignatius Loyola's preference for placing his men and their works where they would have the greatest impact.