Alcalá de Henares in is preparing to commemorate the 500th anniversary of St Ignatius of Loyola's time in the city, a brief but pivotal period in his spiritual, intellectual and apostolic journey. Throughout the year, the city's main institutions will come together to celebrate the memory of the pilgrim and the historical and spiritual legacy he left behind.

The historic Antezana Hospital, where Ignatius lived between 1526 and 1527, hosted the presentation of the commemorative programme, which will begin in September and run until May 2027. The programme has been jointly organised by the Alcalá de Henares City Council, the Antezana Foundation, the Diocese of Alcalá de Henares, the University of Alcalá and the Society of Jesus, with the aim of highlighting the importance of Ignatius's presence in the city's history.

The programme includes seven lectures, three exhibitions, two musical performances, commemorative tours of Alcalá and a Mass marking St Ignatius's time in the city. The initiative aims to help rediscover the connection between the city of Alcalá and the founder of the Society of Jesus, as well as the mark left by his journey of seeking, formation and service.

St Ignatius's stay in Alcalá was a pivotal moment in the development of the apostolic project that would eventually lead to the founding of the Society of Jesus. Welcomed into the Antezana Hospital as a kitchen and nursing assistant in exchange for room and board, the pilgrim began studying philosophy and theology at the university founded by Cardinal Cisneros. This formation proved essential in shaping his desire to help souls through a solid mission of evangelisation.

During the presentation, Asensio Esteban Vallejo, president of the Antezana Foundation, emphasised the historical impact of St Ignatius and the importance of the place where he served, studied, prayed and cared for the sick. In the context of Spain's Golden Age, Alcalá was characterised by a humanism that found its fullest expression when placed at the service of others. In this sense, he highlighted that "in Antezana, more than just lodging, Ignatius found a way to live the Gospel."

Pedro Luis García Vera SJ, superior of the Jesuit community in Alcalá de Henares, explained that St Ignatius's months in the city were a time of seeking God's will, formation and closeness to the poor. "His entire stay in the hospital, surrounded by simple people, convinced him to live his life in the manner of Jesus: poor and humble," he noted.

The Bishop of Alcalá de Henares, Bishop Antonio Prieto Lucena, also recalled that Alcalá was the place where Ignatius began to develop his apostolic project. He emphasised that the experience of living alongside the poor and sick at Antezana remains significant today in the formation of Jesuit novices, who undertake periods of service in hospitals as part of their formation.

The Mayor of Alcalá de Henares, Judith Piquet, highlighted St Ignatius as part of the city's historical heritage and as a significant figure in the history of Spain, Europe and the universal Church. In her address, she expressed her gratitude for the collaborative work of the institutions involved in preparing the anniversary celebrations and recalled one of the saint's most famous sayings as a practical guideline: "Love must be shown more in deeds than in words."

The events marking this anniversary will provide an opportunity to revisit an essential chapter in the life of St Ignatius and in the history of Alcalá de Henares itself: the encounter between study, service, poverty and the search for God that decisively shaped the pilgrim in the years before the birth of the Society of Jesus.