Saint Ignatius Loyola
Saint Ignatius of Loyola (born October 23, 1491 AD in Loyola, Gipuzkoa, Spain; died July 31, 1556 AD in Rome, Italy) was a Spanish nobleman, soldier, and mystic who founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1540 and wrote the Spiritual Exercises — one of the most influential texts in the history of Catholic spirituality. A cannonball shattered his leg at the Battle of Pamplona in 1521; during his convalescence, reading lives of Christ and the saints, he underwent a complete conversion of life. The motto he gave the Society — Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (For the Greater Glory of God), abbreviated AMDG — became one of the most recognized phrases in Catholic history. He is the patron of the Society of Jesus, spiritual retreats, and soldiers. His feast day is July 31.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Ignatius Loyola
| Saint Ignatius Loyola | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | July 31 |
| Profession | Soldier; nobleman; student; priest; founder; mystic; spiritual director |
| Rel. Affiliation | Society of Jesus (Jesuits — founder and first Superior General, 1541–1556); Catholic Church |
| Patronage | Society of Jesus; Jesuits; spiritual retreats; soldiers; the Basque Country; educators; spiritual directors; those making life decisions; ''Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam'' |
| Attributes | Jesuit habit; book (''Spiritual Exercises''); the monogram IHS; cannon or cannonball (his wound at Pamplona); sun with IHS; the phrase AMDG |
| Birthplace | Loyola, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Spain |
| Death Place | Rome, Italy |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes; died at the Jesuit headquarters (Casa Professa) in Rome, July 31, 1556 |
| Primary Shrine | Church of the Gesù, Rome, Italy — his body enshrined in the Chapel of Saint Ignatius (Pozzo altar, 1696); the most important Jesuit shrine in the world; millions of visitors annually; lapis lazuli columns and extraordinary Baroque decoration |
| Liturgical Class | Memorial (Roman Calendar, July 31) |
| Historic Class | Double (July 31) |
Biography
Íñigo López de Loyola was born on October 23, 1491 in the castle-tower of Loyola in the Basque province of Gipuzkoa, the youngest of thirteen children of a noble family. He was raised as a page and courtier and served as a soldier for the viceroy of Navarre.
In May 1521, during the French siege of Pamplona, a cannonball shattered his right leg. During the long convalescence at Loyola, he requested novels of chivalry to read — but found only two books available: a life of Christ and a collection of saints' lives. As he read about Francis of Assisi, Dominic, and others, he began to feel a stirring he could not explain: he noticed that thoughts of worldly adventure left him empty and restless, while thoughts of imitating the saints left him full of peace. This was his conversion.
He spent nearly a year at Manresa (1522–1523) in intense prayer, fasting, and mystical experience. The Spiritual Exercises — the manual of discernment, meditation, and prayer that would shape Jesuit spirituality and influence all of Western Christianity — emerged from these months. He made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem (1523), then embarked on years of study in Barcelona, Alcalá, Salamanca, and finally Paris (1528–1535), where he gathered the companions who would become the Society of Jesus: Francis Xavier, Peter Faber, Diego Laínez, Alfonso Salmerón, Nicolás Bobadilla, and Simão Rodrigues.
On August 15, 1534 — the Feast of the Assumption — Ignatius and six companions made vows of poverty and chastity in a chapel on Montmartre in Paris, pledging to go to Jerusalem or place themselves at the disposal of the Pope. Unable to reach Jerusalem due to war, they went to Rome. Pope Paul III approved the Society of Jesus in 1540. Ignatius was elected its first Superior General in 1541.
He governed the rapidly expanding Society from Rome for fifteen years, writing thousands of letters, composing the Jesuit Constitutions, founding the Roman College (now the Gregorian University), and directing the global mission that his companions were carrying to India, Japan, Brazil, Africa, and the Americas. He died quietly in Rome on July 31, 1556 — so quietly that no one thought to call a priest for his last rites in time.
Pope Gregory XV canonized him on March 12, 1622, the same day as Francis Xavier, Teresa of Ávila, Philip Neri, and Isidore the Farmer.
The Spiritual Exercises
The Spiritual Exercises (Ejercicios Espirituales) is a month-long guided retreat program structured in four "weeks" of meditation: (1) sin and God's mercy; (2) the life of Christ and a meditation on Two Standards (Christ vs. the world); (3) the Passion; (4) the Resurrection. It is designed to free the retreatant from disordered attachments and to find God's will for their life. Pope Paul III approved it in 1548. It has been made by millions of people and is one of the most used spiritual texts in Catholic history.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Loyola, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Spain
Death location: Rome, Italy
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| This map created from a Cargo query () |
Media
| Media | Length | AuthorCreator |
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| Saint Ignatius Loyola, Founder of the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits) - July 31st | 5–15 minutes | Saint of the Day |
Shrines
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Known shrines
- Church of the Gesù, Rome, Italy — his body; Chapel of Saint Ignatius (Pozzo altar); mother church of the Society of Jesus.
- Sanctuary of Loyola, Azpeitia, Gipuzkoa, Spain — his birthplace; Baroque basilica enclosing the original tower; millions of pilgrims.
- Cave of Manresa, Catalonia, Spain — site of his ten months of prayer and conversion; Sanctuary of Sant Ignasi.
Feast day
July 31
Veneration
Saint Ignatius of Loyola is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church on July 31 as a Memorial. He is the founder of the Society of Jesus and one of the most influential figures of the Counter-Reformation.
Prayers
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