Editing Jesuits (section)

===Foundation===
[[File:Ignatius Loyola.jpg|thumb|upright=0.65|[[Ignatius of Loyola]], the founder of the Jesuits]]

[[Ignatius of Loyola]], a [[Basques|Basque]] nobleman from the [[Pyrenees]] area of northern Spain, founded the society after discerning his spiritual vocation while recovering from a wound sustained in the [[Battle of Pamplona]].

On 15 August 1534, Ignatius of Loyola (born Íñigo López de Loyola), a Spaniard from the [[Basque Country (autonomous community)|Basque]] city of [[Sanctuary of Loyola|Loyola]], and six others mostly of [[Castilian people|Castilian]] origin, all students at the [[University of Paris]],<ref>{{Cite web |archive-date=11 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011060544/http://www.michaelservetusresearch.com/ENGLISH/jesuits.html |url-status=usurped |author=Francisco Javier Benjamín González Echeverría |title=Documents of the Jesuits and of Michael de Villanueva (Servetus) in the register of the University of Paris |website=Michael Servetus Research |url=https://michaelservetusresearch.com/ENGLISH/jesuits.html |access-date=16 January 2023 }}</ref> met in [[Montmartre]] outside Paris, in a crypt beneath the church of [[Saint Denis of Paris|Saint Denis]], now [[Saint Pierre de Montmartre]], to pronounce promises of poverty, chastity, and obedience.{{sfn|Campbell|1921|p=24}} Ignatius' six companions were: [[Francis Xavier|Francisco Xavier]] from [[Kingdom of Navarre|Navarre]] ([[Spain|modern Spain]]), [[Alfonso Salmeron]], [[Diego Laynez|Diego Laínez]], [[Nicholas Bobadilla|Nicolás Bobadilla]] from [[Crown of Castile|Castile]] ([[Spain|modern Spain]]), [[Peter Faber]] from [[Savoy]], and [[Simão Rodrigues]] from [[Portugal]].{{sfn|Coyle|1908|p=142}}

The meeting is commemorated in the [[Martyrium of Saint Denis, Montmartre]]. They called themselves the {{lang|es|Compañía de Jesús}}, and also {{lang|es|Amigos en El Señor}} or "Friends in the Lord", because they felt "they were placed together by Christ." The name "company" had echoes of the military (reflecting perhaps Ignatius' background as captain in the Spanish army) as well as of discipleship (the "companions" of Jesus). The Spanish "company" would be translated into Latin as {{lang|la|societas}} like in {{lang|la|socius}}, a partner or comrade. From this came "Society of Jesus" (SJ) by which they would be known more widely.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.reformation.org/jesuits2.html |title=Chapter 2 |website=www.reformation.org |access-date=30 May 2017 |archive-date=2 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102071515/http://www.reformation.org/jesuits2.html }}</ref>

Religious orders established in the medieval era were named after particular men: [[Francis of Assisi]] (Franciscans); [[Saint Dominic|Domingo de Guzmán]], later canonized as Saint Dominic (Dominicans); and [[Augustine of Hippo]] (Augustinians). Ignatius of Loyola and his followers appropriated the name of Jesus for their new order, provoking resentment by other orders who considered it presumptuous. The resentment was recorded by Jesuit [[José de Acosta]] of a conversation with the Archbishop of Santo Domingo.{{sfn|Brading|1991|p=166}}

In the words of one historian: "The use of the name Jesus gave great offense. Both on the Continent and in England, it was denounced as blasphemous; petitions were sent to kings and to civil and ecclesiastical tribunals to have it changed; and even [[Pope Sixtus V]] had signed a Brief to do away with it." But nothing came of all the opposition; there were already congregations named after the Trinity and as "God's daughters".{{sfn|Campbell|1921|p=7}}

In 1537, the seven travelled to Italy to seek papal approval for their [[Order (religious)|order]]. Pope Paul III gave them a commendation, and permitted them to be ordained priests. These initial steps led to the official founding in 1540.

They were ordained in [[Venice]] by the [[bishop of Arbe]] on 24 June. They devoted themselves to preaching and charitable work in [[Italy]]. The [[Italian War of 1536–1538]] renewed between [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor]], Venice, the Pope, and the [[Ottoman Empire]], had rendered any journey to [[Jerusalem]] impossible.

Again in 1540, they presented the project to Paul III. After months of dispute, a congregation of [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|cardinals]] reported favourably upon the Constitution presented, and Paul III confirmed the order through the bull {{lang|la|[[Regimini militantis ecclesiae]]}} ("To the Government of the Church Militant"), on 27 September 1540. This is the founding document of the Society of Jesus as an official Catholic religious order. Ignatius was chosen as the first [[Superior General of the Society of Jesus|Superior General]]. Paul III's bull had limited the number of its members to sixty. This limitation was removed through the bull {{lang|la|[[Exposcit debitum]]}} of Julius III in 1550.{{sfn|Höpfl|2004|p=426}}

In 1543, [[Peter Canisius]] entered the company. Ignatius sent him to Messina, where he founded the first Jesuit college in [[Sicily]].

Ignatius laid out his original vision for the new order in the "Formula of the Institute of the Society of Jesus",<ref name="text">[https://jesuitportal.bc.edu/research/documents/1540_formula/ Text of the Formula of the Institute (1540)] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220726061343/https://jesuitportal.bc.edu/research/documents/1540_formula/ |date=26 July 2022 }}, [[Boston College]], Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies, accessed 31 May 2021</ref> which is "the fundamental charter of the order, of which all subsequent official documents were elaborations and to which they had to conform".{{sfn|O'Malley|1993|p=5}} He ensured that his formula was contained in two [[papal bull]]s signed by Pope Paul III in 1540 and by Pope Julius III in 1550.<ref name="text" /> The formula expressed the nature, spirituality, community life, and apostolate of the new religious order. Its famous opening statement echoed Ignatius' military background:

[[File:Regimini militantis Ecclesiae.jpg|thumb|A fresco depicting Ignatius receiving the papal bull from Pope Paul III was created after 1743 by [[Johann Christoph Handke]] in the Church of Our Lady Of the Snow in [[Olomouc]].]]

{{blockquote|1=Whoever desires to serve as a soldier of God beneath the banner of the Cross in our Society, which we desire to be designated by the Name of Jesus, and to serve the Lord alone and the Church, his spouse, under the Roman Pontiff, the Vicar of Christ on earth, should, after a solemn vow of perpetual chastity, poverty and obedience, keep what follows in mind. He is a member of a Society founded chiefly for this purpose: to strive especially for the defence and propagation of the faith and for the progress of souls in Christian life and doctrine, by means of public preaching, lectures and any other ministration whatsoever of the Word of God, and further by means of retreats, the education of children and unlettered persons in Christianity, and the spiritual consolation of Christ's faithful through hearing confessions and administering the other sacraments. Moreover, he should show himself ready to reconcile the estranged, compassionately assist and serve those who are in prisons or hospitals, and indeed, to perform any other works of charity, according to what will seem expedient for the glory of God and the common good.<ref name="stats"/>}}

[[File:Jesuits in the 'Ibadat-Khanah'.jpg|thumb|upright|Jesuits at [[Akbar]]'s court in India, {{c.|1605}}]]

In fulfilling the mission of the "Formula of the Institute of the Society", the first Jesuits concentrated on a few key activities. First, they founded schools throughout Europe. Jesuit teachers were trained in both [[Classics|classical studies]] and [[theology]], and their schools reflected this. These schools taught with a balance of Aristotelian methods with mathematics.<ref name="Principe">{{Cite book |last=Principe |first=Lawrence M. |url=http://oxfordmedicine.com/view/10.1093/actrade/9780199567416.001.0001/actrade-9780199567416 |title=The Scientific Revolution: A Very Short Introduction |year=2011 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-956741-6 |doi=10.1093/actrade/9780199567416.003.0002 |access-date=17 September 2023 }}</ref>

Second, they sent out missionaries across the globe to [[Evangelism|evangelize]] those peoples who had not yet heard the [[Gospel]], founding missions in widely diverse regions such as modern-day [[Paraguay]], Japan, [[Ontario]], and [[Ethiopia]]. One of the original seven arrived in India already in 1541.{{sfn|Campbell|1921|p=72}} Finally, though not initially formed for the purpose, they aimed to stop [[Protestantism]] from spreading and to preserve communion with [[Rome]] and the [[pope]]. The zeal of the Jesuits overcame the movement toward Protestantism in the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]] and southern [[Germany]].

Ignatius wrote the Jesuit ''Constitutions'', adopted in 1553, which created a centralised organization and stressed acceptance of any mission to which the pope might call them.<ref>{{cite book |author=Jesuitas |title=Constitutiones Societatis Iesu: cum earum declarationibus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5lL2SO1DjwYC |chapter=''SEXTA PARS – CAP. 1'' |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5lL2SO1DjwYC&q=%22+pe-+rinde+ac+fi+cadauer+eiíent%22&pg=PA196 |year=1583 |language=la }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Ignatius of Loyola |translator-first=George E. |translator-last=Ganss |title=The constitutions of the society of Jesus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k_oPAQAAIAAJ |publisher=Institute of Jesuit Sources |year=1970 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=k_oPAQAAIAAJ&q=%22carried+and+directed+by+Divine+Providence+through+the+agency+of+the+superior+as+if+he+were+a+lifeless+body+which+allows+itself+to+be+carried+to+any+place+and+to+be+treated+in+any+manner+desired%22 249] |isbn=9780912422206 |quote=Carried and directed by [[Divine providence|Divine Providence]] through the agency of the superior as if he were a lifeless body which allows itself to be carried to any place and to be treated in any manner desired. }}</ref>{{sfn|Painter|1903|p=167}} His main principle became the unofficial Jesuit motto: {{lang|la|[[Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam]]}} ("For the greater glory of God"). This phrase is designed to reflect the idea that any work that is not evil can be meritorious for the spiritual life if it is performed with this intention, even things normally considered of little importance.{{sfn|Höpfl|2004|p=426}}

The Society of Jesus is classified among institutes as an order of [[clerks regular]], that is, a body of priests organized for [[missionary|apostolic]] work, and following a [[religious order (Catholic)|religious]] rule.

The term ''Jesuit'' (of 15th-century origin, meaning "one who used too frequently or appropriated the name of Jesus") was first applied to the society in reproach (1544–1552).{{sfn|Pollen|1912}} The term was never used by Ignatius of Loyola, but over time, members and friends of the society adopted the name with a positive meaning.{{sfn|Campbell|1921|p=7}}

While the order is limited to men, [[Joanna of Austria, Princess of Portugal]], favored the order and she is reputed to have been admitted surreptitiously under a male pseudonym.<ref name="Female">{{Cite web |url=http://www.gc36.org/female-jesuits/ |title=Female Jesuits |website=www.gc36.org |access-date=5 July 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160710173125/http://www.gc36.org/female-jesuits/ |archive-date=10 July 2016 }}</ref>