St. Ignatius Loyola

St. Ignatius Loyola was born in 1491 at his family's ancestral castle in Loyola, Guipúzcoa, Spain. Initially, he pursued a military career but experienced a spiritual transformation after a severe injury in 1521. During his convalescence, he read about the life of Christ and the saints, which profoundly affected him, leading to a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1523. Upon returning to Spain, he began his education and later attended the University of Paris in 1528, where he formed a pious fraternity with six companions. This fraternity evolved into the Society of Jesus, which was formally established in 1534. The Society received papal approval from Pope Paul III in 1540, and Ignatius became its first Superior General in 1541. He dedicated his life to developing the Society's Constitutions and writing his influential Spiritual Exercises. Ignatius remained in Rome, overseeing the growth of the Jesuits and founding institutions like the Roman College. He passed away on July 31, 1556, in Rome. Ignatius was beatified in 1609 and canonized on March 12, 1622. He is celebrated as the patron saint of spiritual retreats and soldiers, and his feast day is observed on July 31. Throughout his life, Ignatius emphasized obedience to the Pope and the pursuit of missionary work, significantly contributing to the Counter-Reformation efforts of the 16th century.