Ignatius of Loyola

Priest, Organization founder

1491 – 1556

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Who was Ignatius of Loyola?

Ignatius of Loyola was a Spanish knight from a local Basque noble family, hermit, priest since 1537, and theologian, who founded the Society of Jesus and, on 19 April 1541, became its first Superior General. Ignatius emerged as a religious leader during the Counter-Reformation. Loyola's devotion to the Catholic Church was characterized by absolute obedience to the Pope.

After being seriously wounded in the Battle of Pamplona in 1521, he underwent a spiritual conversion while in recovery. De Vita Christi by Ludolph of Saxony purportedly inspired Loyola to abandon his previous military life and devote himself to labour for God, following the example of spiritual leaders such as Francis of Assisi. After claiming to experience a vision of the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus at the shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat in March 1522, he went to Manresa, where he began praying for seven hours a day, often in a nearby cave, and formulating the fundamentals of the Spiritual Exercises. In September 1523, Loyola reached the Holy Land to settle there, but was sent back to Europe by the Franciscans.

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Born
Oct 23, 1491
Azpeitia
Also known as
  • St. Ignatius of Loyola
  • Ignatius Loyola
  • Saint Ignatius of Loyola
  • Íñigo López de Loyola
Religion
  • Catholicism
Nationality
  • Spain
  • Kingdom of Castile
Profession
Education
  • Master's Degree, University of Paris
  • University of Alcalá
    Theology
    (1524 - )
  • Latin Language
Died
Jul 31, 1556
Rome

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

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"Ignatius of Loyola." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/ignatius_of_loyola>.

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