The Ignatian Year: 500 Years in the Making
Commemorating the 500th Anniversary of the Conversion of St. Ignatius of Loyola
Jesuit Superior General Arturo Sosa has declared an “Ignatian Year” beginning May 20, 2021, exactly 500 years after the soldier Ignatius of Loyola was wounded by a cannonball during the Battle of Pamplona. It was during his long recovery that Ignatius found a new vocation, turning his life over to God and beginning a spiritual pilgrimage that continues to reverberate today. Therefore, the underlying message of the Ignatian Year is conversion. The theme is “to see all things new in Christ.”
In the Conversion Chapel in Loyola, where Ignatius convalesced from his broken leg, the words “Aquí Se Entregó a Dios” are painted on the beam above his bed. The inscription is a reminder to the visitor that here, in this place, Ignatius “gave himself” to God.
During this Ignatian Year, we Jesuits invite you to spend time contemplating your place of conversion.
Please join the worldwide Society of Jesus in commemorating the cannonball moment that changed not only Ignatius’ life, but the lives of millions.
Additional Resources
With Jesuits and their colleagues worldwide celebrating the Ignatian Year, there are lots of activities and ways to get involved. Here are just a few:A Limping Pilgrim – A Video about St. Ignatius’ Final Days
During the COVID lockdown, when the rooms of St. Ignatius in Rome were closed to the public, some of the Jesuit scholastics of the Collegio del Gesù – Rome recreated the historical ambiance and developed a short historical narrative. The result is a 20-minute film:In the Pilgrim’s Company: An Ignatian Storytelling Initiative
To celebrate the Ignatian Year, the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States is launching a global Ignatian storytelling initiative entitled In the Pilgrim’s Company, a project that will take a fresh, innovative look at St. Ignatius’ autobiography. They are inviting storytellers to contribute their ideas. Learn more. For more from the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States visit their website.Visit the Jesuit Curia in Rome.
