Editing Ignatius of Loyola (section)

===Conversion and Spiritual Awakening===

During his lengthy convalescence at the castle of Loyola, Ignatius requested chivalric romances to pass the time. However, the only books available were a life of Christ (''Vita Christi'' by [[Ludolph of Saxony]]) and a collection of saints' lives (''Legenda Aurea'' by [[Jacobus de Voragine]]). Reading these works sparked a profound spiritual transformation.

Ignatius began to notice distinct patterns in his interior states: when he daydreamed about worldly exploits and romantic conquests, he felt initial excitement followed by emptiness and dissatisfaction; when he contemplated imitating the saints and serving God, he experienced lasting peace and joy. This observation became the foundation of what he would later systematize as the "discernment of spirits," a central component of Ignatian spirituality.

Upon recovering, Ignatius made a pilgrimage to the [[Benedictine monastery]] of Santa Maria de Montserrat in 1522, where he performed a vigil before the Black Madonna and symbolically laid down his sword and dagger. He then traveled to the nearby town of [[Manresa]], where he spent nearly a year (1522–1523) in intense prayer, penance, and spiritual experiences. During this period, he lived as a beggar, practiced severe austerities, and underwent profound mystical experiences. Modern scholarship, particularly that of Terence O'Reilly and other researchers, demonstrates that Ignatius's spiritual teachings were not developed solely from his mystical experiences at Manresa, but were significantly informed by his reading of spiritual texts, including works by [[Desiderius Erasmus]], the spiritual movement of ''alumbradismo'' (illuminism), and various medieval and Renaissance Christian spiritual traditions. It was at Manresa that he began composing the ''Spiritual Exercises''.