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Saint Ignatius was born in Loyola, Castile, Spain as Inigo Lopez. He was the youngest of 13 children.
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At the age of seven, St.Ignatius' mother passed away.
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When Ignatius was sixteen he was sent to serve the treasurer of the kingdom of Castile, Juan Velazquez.
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At the age of 30 St.Ignatius was called as an officer defending Spain and the fortress of the town of Pamplona against the French. During the battle a cannonball hit him, wounding one leg and breaking the other. In his recovery he read books about the life of Christ and Saints. He decided to live a more holy life and leave his old desires of power, fame and love.
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When Ignatius was well enough to travel, he decided he wanted to take a journey to Jerusalem and live there. He first set out to Barcelona leaving the castle in 1522. On the way he stopped at the Benedictine shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat. He knelt all night in front of Our Lady's altar. He left his sword and knife then gave away his nice clothes to the poor.
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Ignatius then went to Manresa where he stayed in a nearby cave for 10 months. He would pray all day and began living a very humble lifestyle. It was here where he gained ideas for his book of 'Spiritual Exercises'. He also went through many penances. His fasting became so extreme that it ruined his stomach which caused him to suffer his whole life.
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After Ignatius reached Barcelona, took a boat to Italy and got to Rome he seeked permission from the Pope to go on a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land on a path of sacrifice. He planned on staying but was not permitted to stay long as the situation was dangerous. The Franciscan superior ordered him to leave and threatened him with excommunication. He obediently left.
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St Ignatius enrolled himself in a school in Barcelona to study language and grammar. There he begged for food and shelter.
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After 2 years in Barcelona he gained admission into the University of Alcala. His enthusiasm got him into trouble as he would gather students and adults to explain the Gospels to them and teach them how to pray. This was looked down upon by the Spanish inquisition and they put him to trial. This resulted in Ignatius being thrown in prison for 42 days.
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Ignatius moved on to the University of Salamanca. The Dominicans had thrown him back into prison after just 2 weeks. He was told that he could only teach children and only simple religious truths even though they couldn't find any heresy in what he taught.
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St.Ignatius transfered to the University of Paris to study Philosophy and Theology.
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St.Ignaitus earned his masters degree from the Universtiy of Paris.
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Ignatius gathered a group of men in University and greatly influenced them in faith. He directed them all for thirty days in his Spiritual Exercises. Ignatius and the men decided to take vows of chastity and poverty. They planned to go to the Holy Land but they were unable so they headed for Rome and became missionaries of the Pope. The Pope assigned them to teach scripture, theology and preach. On Christmas morning, St.Ignatius said his first Mass at St. Mary Major, in the Chapel of the Manger.
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Ignatius called his former companions to visit Rome. They prayed and discussed for many weeks on what to do in future and whether it would be together or alone. They chose to get the Popes approval and form a community with a superior general in which they would all vow obedience to.
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They received approval in 1540 from Pope Paul III. Ignatius was elected as superior general. The order was formed and took the name 'The Society of Jesus'.
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Ignatius and the other men pronounced their vows in the newly formed Order on April 22,1541, the friday of Holy Week at the Church of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls.
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St.Ignatius opened up a school in Messina, Sicilia for Jesuit students by the request of the magistrates of Messina. Before 1548 Ignatius had already opened schools in Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and India for young Jesuit recruits. There was a large growth of the Jesuits and schools provided the most effective way to fix up the decline of the Church during the Reformation.
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A Bishop, Cilicio, did not have very positive feelings towards the Society. Anybody found doing Spiritual Exercises were excommunicated and he refused to have this new Order in his diocese. Many of the Jesuits were worried about what was happening but Ignatius told them to simply be patient.
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The stomach problems Ignatius suffered earlier in his life only became worse. Though he asked his secretary to get the papal blessing for him the night before he died. He did not recieve the blessing as his secretary expected him to live. St.Ignatius passed away on the 31st July 1556.
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St Ignatius was beatified by Pope Paul V on July 27, 1609.
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St. Ignatius was canonized by Pope Gregory XV on 12th March 1622, 13 years after his beatification His feast day is celebrated on July 31st every year.
