Walking in the Footsteps of St. Ignatius: A Pilgrimage Through Rome
By Vincent Opiyo, SJ
As part of their preparation for theological studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University this October, Jesuit scholastics have been spending their Saturday mornings on pilgrimage to some of the most significant Ignatian sites in Rome. The visits form part of their Italian language programme and offer an opportunity not only to learn the history of the Society of Jesus but also to deepen their spiritual identity by walking, albeit briefly, in the footsteps of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
One of the first stops was the Rooms of St. Ignatius at the Collegio Internazionale del Gesù, where the scholastics currently reside. Closely connected with the founder of the Society, the rooms preserve the memory of St. Ignatius, who spent the final years of his life guiding the rapidly growing order until his death on 31 July 1556. Preserved much as they were in his lifetime, they continue to welcome pilgrims from across the world each day.
The scholastics also visited the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, where St. Ignatius celebrated his first Mass on Christmas Day, 25 December 1538, after being ordained a priest in 1537. The basilica reflects his profound devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and remains one of the Church’s principal pilgrimage destinations. It has gained renewed significance as the burial place of Pope Francis, the first Jesuit Pope, whose witness of simplicity and missionary zeal continues to inspire Catholics throughout the world. Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis visited the basilica 138 times, customarily praying before the icon of Salus Populi Romani before and after every Apostolic Journey, entrusting his ministry to the care of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The pilgrimage continued to the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, one of Rome’s four major papal basilicas. After the Society of Jesus received papal approval from Pope Paul III in 1540, Ignatius and his first companions gathered there on 22 April 1541 to pronounce their solemn vows. Built over the tomb of St. Paul the Apostle, the basilica remains a powerful symbol of missionary commitment and fidelity to the Gospel.
The pilgrimage concluded at the Church of the Gesù, the mother church of the Society of Jesus, where the remains of St. Ignatius rest beneath the magnificent Church. Also, the remains of Fr. Pedro Arrupe, the remains of St. Francis Xavier among other Jesuits lie here.
As we celebrate his feast today, we pray for the grace to know Christ more intimately, to love Him more deeply, and to follow Him more faithfully in generous service.
This year’s solemn Eucharistic celebration at the Gesù will be presided over by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, bringing together Jesuits, collaborators, and pilgrims from many parts of the world.
Other places visited included Sant’Andrea al Quirinale, the former Jesuit novitiate that formed saints such as St. Stanislaus Kostka, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, St. Francis Borgia, and Fr. Claudio Acquaviva, the fifth Superior General of the Society of Jesus. The scholastics also visited the historic Collegio Romano, the Community of St. Robert Bellarmine, and the Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola, where the remains of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, St. Robert Bellarmine, and other distinguished Jesuits are venerated.
For the scholastics, these visits were far more than lessons in history. They became moments of prayer and renewal, reconnecting us with the origins of our vocation. Walking where St. Ignatius walked, praying where he prayed, and contemplating the witness of the first companions reminded us that the Jesuit way of life is rooted in discerning God’s will, serving the Church with generosity, and seeking always the greater glory of God—Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.
