EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA AND THE CAMINO IGNACIANO JUBILEE YEAR

Posted on July 21, 2020

by Marly Camino

On July 31, 2021, the second Jubilee Year of the Ignatian Way will begin, which will last until the feast of St. Ignatius in 2022.

In addition, it will be the fiftieth anniversary of the launching of the St. Ignatius Way.

A magical and very spiritual Way that follows the steps of the Saint in his pilgrimage carried out in 1522 from Loyola to the Sanctuary of Manresa.

During his Way, Saint Ignatius of Loyola left us a spiritual inheritance with his “Spiritual Exercises”, exercises that help us to be spiritually fit and that are offered so that you can make your inner journey at the same time as you do it along the most spectacular roads and paths of Spain.

Are you ready? Discover in this post more about St. Ignatius and the Jubilee Year 2021 and dare to live it with us.

Who was St Ignatius of Loyola?

St Ignatius de Loyola was a noble knight, who later in his life became a religious leader devoted to the Catholic church, and was well-known for his total devotion to the Pope. He was the founder of the Society of Jesus, whose members are known as Jesuits. He also wrote a book of Spiritual Exercises, a set of meditations, prayers and mental exercises designed to deepen the reader’s personal experience of the Catholic faith.

His feast day is celebrated on July 31st, because that was the date of his death in 1556. He was beatified by Pope Paul V, and Canonized by Pope Gregorio XV.

What is the Society of Jesus?

The Society of Jesus is a religious order whose goal is to save and redeem mankind by means of the sacred evangelical work of its members. It was founded in 1540 by Ignatius of Loyola, and nowadays it is the largest religious order in the world and its works impact all fields of life including culture, religion, education and the evangelical mission, among others.

Why walk the Ignatian Camino?

The Ignatian Camino is a pilgrimage route which commemorates the journey that Ignatius of Loyola made in 1522 from his family home in Loyola to Manresa, with the intention of travelling to the Holy Land as a pilgrim.

This Way was born 500 years ago with the vocation to convey that piety of St. Ignatius through a pilgrimage that recalls the path taken by the Saint.

In 1522, after his convalescence from being wounded in the battle of Pamplona, Iñigo, already determined to transform his life, made a pilgrimage to Montserrat and Manresa (his final destination was the Holy Land). This itinerary, almost 700 kilometers long, offers the opportunity to live an experience of pilgrimage, following the spiritual process that Ignatius did.

It is a transforming experience ideal for those who want a different lifestyle, against the tide, or who wish to enter into self-knowledge, through physical effort and the rethinking of their personal and social values.

The path starts at the house where he was born in Azpeitia (Gipuzkoa) and ends at St. Ignatius’ Cave in Manresa.

What is the Ignatian Holy Year and why is it celebrated?

According to the Society of Jesus, the Jubilee will be granted to pilgrims who complete the Ignatian Camino and fulfil the requirements set out by canon law – attending Mass, confessing, and praying for the intentions of the Pope – as well as undertaking the Spiritual Exercises, visiting some of the Ignatian sanctuaries along the way and carrying out an act of charity either before or during their pilgrimage.

The Ignatian Holy Year is celebrated in order to encourage pilgrims to walk the Ignatian Camino as a means of deepening their relationship with God and of achieving personal growth. The upcoming Holy Year between 2021 and 2022 will also commemorate the 500th anniversary of the pilgrimage of St Ignatius of Loyola.

How and when is the Ignatian Jubilee Year celebrated?

The opening celebrations of the first Jubilee Year of 2015-2016 were held in Manresa on August 31st, and in Manresa on August 1st. In Manresa, the Holy Gate of the Sanctuary of St Ignatius was opened at 8pm during a Holy Mass, while in Loyola the bishop held Mass at 11am with representatives from the Basque Government and the Azpeitia Town Council in attendance.