8. Pilgrimage to Jerusalem

           While at Loyola, Ignatius had decided to go to the Holy Land as a pilgrim. As he grew in the knowledge and love of the Lord, his pilgrimage turned into a pilgrimage of love. He visited the land of the Lord and expressed his ardent devotion to the Lord. He wanted his pilgrimage to be an experience of the providence of God. He neither took along a companion nor any provisions. ‘All hope was in Him alone’. He was certain that the Lord would help him during his pilgrimage. 

    He went from Manresa to Barcelona and from there to Rome by ship in January, 1523. In Rome he obtained permission from the Pope for his journey and then went on to Venice. All along the way he begged for a passage on any ship that would take him to the Holy Land. To his good luck he always found people who came to his aid.

 

    In the Holy Land Ignatius experienced a great devotion to our Lord as he visited the places where Our Lord had lived and worked. He felt strongly that he should stay there and work for the conversion of the Turks. He thought that that was the will of the Lord for him. However, the Franciscans who were in charge of the Holy Land thought differently. They asked him Ignatius to go back to Europe with the other pilgrims. When Ignatius insisted on staying in the Holy land, the Franciscan Provincial told him that he had the authority from the Pope to excommunicate him if he refused to leave. Ignatius saw this as a clear sign of God’s will that he was not to stay in the Holy Land. So he got ready to leave but not without a last loving visit to the place of Our Lord’s Ascension.

 

    The pilgrimage to Holy Land gave Ignatius first-hand knowledge of the scenes in the Gospels. Moreover, it taught him the initial lessons in discerning the will of God for him. Even after the pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Ignatius remained a pilgrim. He was still in search of God’s will. 

( to be continued Chapter 9. Ignatius the Student) 

"Placed with the Son"- A short biography of St.Ignatius--- Fr.Lawrence Dharmaraj 

(From the personal study notes under the guidance of late Fr.Maurice Dullard s.j)