{"id":"st-ignatius-loyola","name":"St. Ignatius of Loyola","title":"Founder of the Society of Jesus","knownFor":"Spiritual Exercises, Jesuit Order, Education","feastDay":"July 31","lifespan":"1491-1556","patronOf":"Soldiers, Spiritual Retreats, Education","shortBio":"A Spanish soldier whose conversion after battle injury led him to found the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). His Spiritual Exercises revolutionized Catholic spirituality and education.","fullBio":"Born Íñigo López de Loyola to Basque nobility, Ignatius pursued military glory until a cannonball shattered his leg at the Battle of Pamplona in 1521. During his long convalescence, reading about Christ and the saints transformed his life.\n\nAfter recovery, he spent a year in prayer at Manresa, where he experienced profound mystical insights that became the foundation for his Spiritual Exercises. He studied theology in Paris, where he gathered his first companions, including St. Francis Xavier.\n\nIn 1540, Pope Paul III approved the Society of Jesus, with Ignatius as its first Superior General. The Jesuits became known for their educational work, missionary zeal, and role in the Counter-Reformation. They established schools, colleges, and missions worldwide.\n\nIgnatius spent his final years in Rome, directing the rapidly growing order and refining its constitutions. His motto \"Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam\" (For the Greater Glory of God) continues to inspire Jesuit work in education, social justice, and evangelization.","miracles":["Experienced visions of the Trinity and Christ during prayer","Levitated during Mass celebration","Healed the sick through prayer","Multiplied bread for the poor","Appeared to missionaries in visions after death"],"imageUrl":"https://page.gensparksite.com/v1/base64_upload/ad58dac60a57144a63e61f50984e678f","imageAttribution":"The Miracles of St. Ignatius of Loyola by Peter Paul Rubens (1617-1618). Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria. Oil on canvas","orderByDate":1556}