Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises (Latin original: Exercitia spiritualia) are a collection of Christian meditations, contemplations, and prayers written between 1522 and 1524 by Ignatius of Loyola, a 16th-century Spanish priest, theologian, and founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). They are supposed to be completed over a period of 28 to 30 days and are divided into four thematic “weeks” of varying duration. They were written with the goal of assisting participants on religious retreats in discerning God's plan in their life and making a personal commitment to follow Jesus at all costs.
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Who wrote Spiritual Exercises in 1522?
The Spiritual Exercises were written between 1522 and 1524 by St. Ignatius de Loyola, and Jesuits in training are still required to study and practice its teachings during their first year in the novitiate nearly five centuries later.
When were the spiritual exercises written?
1576, Rome: Jesuit College. The Spiritual Exercises, first published in 1548, were the principal way by which St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, disseminated his devotional practices throughout Europe.
What is the meaning of Spiritual Exercises?
Any spiritual practice aimed at strengthening one's personal spiritual potential is referred to as spiritual exercises. Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises is a book of spiritual disciplines written by the Roman Catholic Jesuit order.
Where did St Ignatius write the Spiritual Exercises?
He authored the Spiritual Exercises, a handbook to convert the heart and intellect to a closer following of Jesus Christ, after playing a key part in the establishment of the Jesuits. Six young men who had met him at the University of Paris and made a retreat according to the Spiritual Exercises joined him on August 15, 1534, in Paris.
What is St Ignatius original name?
Ignatius was born in the Loyolas' ancestral castle in Guipzcoa, the youngest of 13 children born to an aristocratic and rich family; his mother died when he was seven years old. In 1506 Ignatius joined a relative, Juan Velázquez de Cuéllar, the treasurer of the kingdom of Castile, as a page. In 1517, Ignatius was knighted by Antonio Manrique de Lara, duke of Nájera and viceroy of Navarre, who used him in military and diplomatic missions.
When was the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius approved?
Ignatius wrote his Spiritual Exercises between 1522 and 1524, and Pope Paul III authorized them in their full form in 1548. Through serious prayer and meditation, the exercises teach Roman Catholics (and non-Catholics) how to distinguish between good and evil spirits.
What book influenced Ignatius's life?
Fortunately, there were none in Loyola's fortress, but there was a copy of Christ's life and a book on the saints. Ignatius began reading them out of desperation. The more he read, the more he thought the saints' exploits were worthy of imitation.
Why was the Jesuit order so fit to serve the Catholic Counter Reformation?
Pope Paul III grants the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic missionary organization, its charter in Rome. The Jesuit order was a key figure in the Counter-Reformation, eventually converting millions of people around the world to Catholicism.
In August 1534, Ignatius de Loyola, a Spanish soldier turned priest, created the Jesuit movement. Ignatius and six of his disciples, the first Jesuits, took vows of poverty and chastity and set out to convert Muslims. They promised to present themselves to the pope for apostolic service if travel to the Holy Land was not possible. Due to the Turkish conflicts, they were unable to travel to Jerusalem and instead travelled to Rome to meet with the Pope and beg permission to start a new religious order. Pope Paul III approved Ignatius' design for the Society of Jesus in September 1540, and the Jesuit order was established.
Why is spiritual exercise important?
You engage in your fitness practice because it enables you to be happy and feel alive, because it helps improve your state of being, and because you know that the better you feel physically, the greater your spiritual life and sense of well-being will be. You have a firm grasp on your craft. You make other healthy decisions as a result of your physical practice. A fitness is an important component of your healthy lifestyle, which is the act of living a healthy life.