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Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Image: Art.co.uk · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Saint Ignatius of Loyola

A Basque soldier who wrote the Spiritual Exercises and founded the Jesuits.

Rank
Saint
Kind
Founder, Priest, Religious
Life
1491 – 1556
Era
16th century
Feast
31 July
Countries
Spain, Italy
SpainItaly

Life story

Ignatius was born in 1491 at the castle of Loyola in the Basque country of Spain, into a noble family with many children. He grew up in aristocratic households and chose a soldier's career. In 1521, during the defence of Pamplona, a cannonball broke his leg. While recovering at Loyola, as he recalled later, the house held no tales of chivalry, so he read a life of Christ and books about the saints. From that reading he decided to change the direction of his life.

In 1522–1523 he stayed at Manresa, where he wrote down spiritual experiences that became the basis of the Spiritual Exercises, and then made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Returning to Spain, he had to begin his education almost from scratch. He studied at Barcelona, Alcalá, Salamanca and finally Paris, where he took a master's degree in 1535 and met fellow students including Francis Xavier and Peter Faber. On 15 August 1534 the group made a shared vow at Montmartre.

In 1540 Pope Paul III approved the Society of Jesus. Ignatius was elected its first Superior General in 1541 and remained in Rome to direct it for the rest of his life. There he composed the Constitutions, sent his companions to many countries and encouraged the opening of schools, among them the Roman College in 1551. The Spiritual Exercises were printed and received papal approval in 1548.

He died in Rome on 31 July 1556. He was beatified in 1609 and canonised in 1622, in the same ceremony as Francis Xavier, Teresa of Ávila and Philip Neri.

Works and witness

  • Wrote the Spiritual Exercises, rooted in his experience at Manresa in 1522–1523.
  • Took a shared vow with his companions at Montmartre in 1534.
  • Founded the Society of Jesus, approved by Paul III in 1540.
  • Wrote the Constitutions and helped found the Roman College in 1551.

Patron of

Spiritual retreats, Basque Country

Saints from the same country

Saint Dominic, Saint Teresa of Ávila, Saint Francis Xavier, Saint John of the Cross

References

  • Autobiography of Ignatius of Loyola
  • Spiritual Exercises
  • Martyrologium Romanum

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.