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Jan 1, 1491
Ignatius is born
The year before Columbus sailed the ocean blue, Ignatius was born. The last of 13 children, Inigo Lopez or as he is better known as Ignatius of Loyola was born in the Basque region in northern Spain. -
Period: Jan 1, 1491 to
The Jesuits
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Sep 27, 1540
Jesuits become an official religious order
Pope Paul III made the Jesuits became an official male religious order on September 27, 1540, but made them limit the number of members to sixty. -
Jan 1, 1541
Ignatius becomes first "General of the Society"
As the founder of the Jesuits, Ignatius was elected the first "General of the Society". He held this office until his death in 1556. Today the leader of the Jesuits is not called the General of the Society, but rather is the Superior General. -
Jan 1, 1548
The first Jesuit school Opens
The Ratio atque Institutio Studiorum Societatis Iesu was opened in 1548, eight years after the Society of Jesus became an official order. It opened in Messina, Sicily. Today there are over 160 Jesuit schools. -
Jul 31, 1556
Ignatius dies
On July 31, 1556 Ignatius died in Rome of "Roman Fever". Today we view him as a saint and his feast day is July 31st. -
Jesuits Suppressed
Pope Clement XIV suppressed the Jesuits in 1773. He did this due to European monarchs' pressure. However Catherine the Great of Russia decided to not follow the Pope's order and let the Jesuits stay in Russia. -
Jesuits restored
Under Pope Pius VII, the suppression of the Jesuits ended in 1807. -
St. Ignatius High School Founded
The best high school ever founded by the Jesuits or anyone else is founded. -
Jesuit murders in El Salvador
Probably the worst event in Jesuit history is the murder of eight Jesuits in El Salvador on November 16, 1989
Watch a video that remembers this event on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCZeV1Vo7DU
