Ignatius of Loyola

Biography

Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) was a Spanish knight whose military career ended when a cannonball shattered his leg at the siege of Pamplona in 1521. During his recovery, he experienced a profound spiritual conversion through reading Lives of the Saints and theological works. After pilgrimage to Jerusalem, he studied theology in Spain and Paris, eventually earning a degree in 1535. In 1534, Ignatius and six companions took vows at Montmartre, Paris, laying the foundation for what became the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1540. As the first Superior General, Ignatius created the Spiritual Exercises—a systematic method of prayer and meditation—and established a flexible, missionary-focused religious order committed to education and evangelization. The Jesuits rapidly expanded across the globe, becoming one of Catholicism's most influential apostolic communities. Ignatius emphasized finding God in all things and responding to contemporary needs with creative adaptation.