Ignacio

de Loyola

1496, Loyola Castle

Born Iigo Lopez de Loyola in 1491, the man known as Ignatius of
Loyola entered the world in Loiola, Spain. At the time, the name of
the village was spelled "Loyola," hence the discrepancy. Inigo came
of age in Azpeitia, in northern Spain. Loyola is a small village at the
southern end of Azpeitia.
Iigo was the youngest of thirteen children. His mother died

when he was just seven, and he was then raised by Maria de Garin,
who was the wife of a blacksmith. His last name, "Loyola" was
taken from the village of his birth.
Despite the misfortune of losing his mother he was still a
member of the local aristocracy and was raised accordingly. Iigo
was an ambitious young man who had dreams of becoming a great
leader.

1496, Loyola Castle

1518, Valladolid Castle

Iigo was very much enamored with the
Princess Catalina, whom he encountered one
evening by accident as he was roaming
around the palace. Their paths crossed as
she was in search of the library on the palace
grounds.Inigobows to Princess Catalina and
sworn that he will serve and protect her.

1518, Valladolid Castle

1521, Pamplona
Iigo had raised himself to the position of an officer,
defending the fortress of the town of Pamplona. During the
French attack, a cannonball struck Iigo, wounding one of
his legs and breaking the other.Returning to the castle, he
underwent several surgical operations. His situation turned
from bad to worse and he was asked by doctors to prepare
for death.Though Ignatius survived, his one leg had to be
cut shorter than the other. During his recovery, he resorted
to reading books. With no other option available, he was
forced to read books on saints and the life of Christ.

1522, Santa Maria de Montserrat

After
complete
recovery,
he
visited
the
Benedictine monastery, Santa Maria de Montserrat,
to give up his military vestments, right from his
sword and knife to his fine clothing.

1522, Manresa
Dressed in simple clothes and a staff at
hand, Ignatius proceeded to a cave near
the town of Manresa, Catalonia, to practice
the most rigorous asceticism.
It was during his time in the cave that
Ignatius started envisioning ideas that
shaped
the
'Spiritual
Exercises'.

1527, Salamanca
Iigo went to Salamanca to continue his studies at its
famous university. He arrived in 1527, and immediately
went into the streets to preach. Such conversations got
him into trouble with the Spanish Inquisition and he was
put in prison three times for interrogation. The charge was
always the same: that he dared to speak of theological
matters when he did not have atheology degree. Further,
he was not ordained. In the end, he was always
exonerated released and told that he could teach children
but he had to refrain from speaking on more complicated
theological matters. He left his homeland and went to Paris
to continue his studies.

1527, Salamanca