The Autobiography of St. IgnatiusIgnatius, of Loyola, Saint
Religion
The Autobiography of St. Ignatius
Ignatius, of Loyola, Saint
Christian saints -- Spain -- Biography; Ignatius, of Loyola, Saint, 1491-1556
there was no need, as he believed his word. If they had the authority,
he would obey.
After this, returning to where he was before, he was seized with a
great longing to visit Mount Olivet again before he departed, since
the Divine Will would not suffer him to remain in those holy places.
On that mountain is a rock from which Our Lord ascended to heaven, on
which even now His footprints are visible. And this is what he wished
to see again. Therefore, without telling any one, and without a guide,
although it was a dangerous thing to go without a Turkish guard,
secretly withdrawing he went to Mount Olivet alone. As the guards
would not allow him to enter, he gave them his knife. After great
consolation in prayer he desired to go to Bethphage. When he reached
that place, he thought that on Mount Olivet he had not noticed the
position of the right foot of Our Lord and that of the left. He came a
second time, and gave his scissors to the guards to allow him to
enter. Afterward when at the monastery it was discovered he had gone
without a guide, a great search was made for him. Coming down from
Mount Olivet he met a girdled Christian, those who are bound to wear a
girdle to distinguish them from the Mussulmans; this man, pretending
to be very angry, threatened him with a large stick, and approaching,
firmly grasped him by the arm. He allowed himself to be led, but the
good man once he had hold of him did not let him go. In the meantime,
as he was thus led along a captive, he was visited with great
consolation, as he seemed to see Christ walking above him. And this
continued until he reached the monastery.
CHAPTER V
HIS ARRIVAL IN APULIA, VENICE, FERRARA, AND GENOA--HE IS APPREHENDED
AS A SPY--HE IS DESPISED AS A FOOL--HIS STUDIES AT BARCELONA AND
ALCALA
On the following day the pilgrims took their departure, and arriving
at Cyprus, were assigned to different vessels. In the harbor of that
place were three or four ships bound for Venice. Of these one belonged
to some Turks; another was too small; but the third, the property of a
wealthy Venetian, was very large and strong.
Some of the band asked the captain of this last to take the pilgrim
aboard; but, finding that no pay was to be offered, he refused, in
spite of the fact that many begged him and were loud in their praises
of the pilgrim. His reply was, that if the pilgrim were indeed a holy
man, he might cross the sea as St. James did.
The favor they asked was easily obtained of the captain of the smaller
ship.
On a certain day they set sail with a favorable wind, but toward
evening a storm arose, which tossed the vessels about in different
directions. The large ship, whose captain had refused to take
Ignatius, was driven by the tempest against the Island of Cyprus, and
dashed to pieces. A like fate overtook the Turkish vessel. The small
ship, however, though for a long time severely tried by wind and
waves, finally reached the shores of Apulia in safety.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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