Of Basque origin, Ignace de Loyola, who lost his mother young, became a page at the Spanish Court of Ferdinand the Catholic in 1506, then was treasurer to the queen. He lives to the worldly rhythm of the Court. He joins the army, but is wounded during the siege of Pamplona. During his convalescence, he was converted thanks to the reading of the lives of the saints (Golden legend ) and the Gospel. Favoring the ascetic way (rough and austere life, deprived of material pleasures), he decides to leave everything to tread the Holy Land and convert Muslims. On the way, he stops in a cave near Manresa, where he writes his Spiritual Exercises . After Jerusalem, he understood the importance of studies and oscillated for 11 years between different universities (Salamanca, Sorbonne). With his companions, he takes the road to Jerusalem but Pope Paul III asks them to work in Rome, the Church being in full Reformation. Ignatius founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1534, of which he was the first Superior, then, in 1542, the Marthe house to help prostitutes. He was beatified and then canonized respectively in 1609 and 1624.
1491 - July 13, 1556
Status
Churchman