BY BARTON T. GEGER, S.J.
How well do you know St. Ignatius Loyola? Here are six facts about his life that will surprise even many Jesuits.
1. Ignatius had a crush on his sister-in-law. When Ignatius was a boy, his older brother Martín and his sister-in-law Magdalena Araoz became lord and lady of Loyola Castle. Magdalena was renowned for her beauty, and it was she who owned the books that Ignatius read during his recuperation from injuries incurred at Pamplona. Many years later, as superior general of the Society, Ignatius admitted to a novice that memories of her beauty sometimes distracted his prayer! It makes one wonder: when Ignatius relates in his autobiography, The Pilgrim’s Journey, that he had daydreamed about a “certain noble lady” during his convalescence, was he really talking about Magdalena?
2. Ignatius probably didn’t live in a cave. Everyone hears that Ignatius lived several months in a cave near Manresa, praying and writing the Spiritual Exercises. But Ignatius never mentioned a cave. He seems to have divided his time between a Dominican monastery, a hospice and the homes of benefactors. In 1556, the year of Ignatius’ death, a lay German writer mentioned the cave, and a Jesuit began to repeat it. But another Jesuit who knew Ignatius well denied it. In the 16th Century, Catholics were fascinated by stories of Christian hermits in ancient Egypt, so the idea of Ignatius in a cave would have been a little seductive.
3. Ignatius wanted to be a martyr. In his autobiography, Ignatius writes that he went to Jerusalem in order to spend his life “helping souls.” He further states that the Franciscans there ordered him to go back home, much against his will. What Ignatius didn’t say was that he was hoping to be martyred by the Muslim authorities who were ruling the Holy City at this time. They permitted Christians to visit, but they threatened to execute anyone who tried to convert them. That’s why the Franciscans were jittery about Ignatius staying there: They were afraid he would get them martyred too
Detail of a painting of Ignatius and companions by U.S.-based artist Dora Nikolova Bittau. This painting (above) is among a series of works depicting Ignatius’ life in the Chapel of Saint Ignatius at Seattle University. Photo courtesy of Seattle University.
4. Did Ignatius have a daughter from his younger days? In 1988, a document was discovered in which the daughter of the duke whom Ignatius had served for three years mentioned a María Villarreal de Loyola. It fired speculation that María was Ignatius’ child. The New York Times even ran a story on Aug. 24, 1991. But circumstantial evidence suggests that she was the daughter of another man. Given the massive documentation that exists on Ignatius, written by innumerable people who knew him personally, is it possible that no one would have mentioned a child?
5. Ignatius tried three times to form the Society of Jesus. Everyone knows that Ignatius and nine friends, including St. Francis Xavier and St. Peter Faber, formed the Society in 1540. Less well-known is that he had recruited two earlier groups, both of which failed to persevere. Some men lost interest, some wanted to join established orders like the Franciscans and Carthusians, and some were scared off by early controversies surrounding Ignatius. It only proves the old saying that the third time proves the charm.
6. Ignatius died on the same date that the Spiritual Exercises were vindicated. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on July 4, 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. A coincidence? Similarly, Ignatius died on July 31, 1556, eight years to the day that Pope Paul III formally approved the Spiritual Exercises for publication. Furthermore, the evidence suggests that Ignatius had experienced his famous mystical illumination at the Cardoner river in the month of July, 1522. You don’t suppose that it happened on the 31st?
Barton T. Geger, S.J., is an assistant professor in the School of Theology and Ministry at Boston College.