Madrid, Spain, Jul 31, 2006 / 22:00 pm
Jesuit provincial leaders from across Europe gathered at the Basilica of Loyola in Spain to concelebrate a special Mass with Bishop Pedro Barreto Jimeno of Huancayo, Peru, marking the 450th anniversary of the death of Ignatius of Loyola.
In addition to the traditional Masses in honor of St. Ignatius, which will be celebrated in various dioceses of Spain, the bishops of San Sebastian, Vitoria, Bilbao, Pamplona and Bayona will also concelebrate at a special Mass on August 1st.
Likewise, from June 29th until September 3rdvarious activities will take place in Loyola, such as the World Congress on the Spiritual Exercises, which will be held August 20-26th and will be attended by international experts, and the closing Mass on September 3rd, which will be celebrated by Cardinal Roger Etchegaray.
Two concerts will also take place, one on August 5th and another on September 2nd, to celebrate the occasion.
The Shrine of Loyola is also featuring an expo on the legacy of St. Ignatius beginning in the 16th century, with the creation of the Society of Jesus and its historical evolution up to today.