The desire for Jerusalem: Historical Considerations of Ignatius of Loyola's Desire to go to the Holy Land.

El deseo de ir a Jerusalén: consideraciones históricas sobre el deseo de Ignacio de Loyola de ir a la Tierra Santa.

IGNATIUS of Loyola; DONNELLY, Ignatius, 1831-1901; IMAGINATION; THEOLOGY; AUTOBIOGRAPHY; CHRISTIAN spiritual life; DESIRE; IMAGINATION in religion; RELIGIOUS thought; SIXTEENTH century; HISTORICAL analysis; CRITICAL analysis

JERUSALEM; PALESTINE

La convalecencia de Ignacio de Loyola es conocida por iniciar el proceso de su conversión espiritual. Inspirado por dos grandes textos religiosos, decidió emprender una peregrinación a Jerusalén. De ese modo, la interpretación de su decisión de ir a la Tierra Santa, prácticamente basada en la Autobiografía, tiende a enfatizar en sus movimientos espirituales y su apropiación personal de dichos textos. Tal interpretación, sin estar equivocada, deja de lado algunas consideraciones importantes de su contexto. Para empezar, su conversión ocurre en un periodo en el que Jerusalén ocupaba un lugar de importancia considerable en la imaginación religiosa española. Dicha importancia se pondrá de relieve en este artículo, con dos líneas de análisis. Por un lado se indagarán las aspiraciones mesiánicas vinculadas al Rey Fernando; por otro, se investigará la conquista de Orán realizada por el cardenal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros. La literatura generada tanto por el Rey como por el Cardenal revela la fascinante imbricación entre el pensamiento religioso y la Tierra Santa. Es decir, un análisis histórico-crítico de sermones, canciones, poesía y crónicas relacionados con ambas figuras enmarcan a Jerusalén como un objeto de deseo. Ese deseo, ciertamente, no es uniforme sino más bien diversificado; aparece como signo de los tiempos, y como tal, constituye el trasfondo de la convalecencia y la conversión de Ignacio. Ahora bien, estos deseos de tenor religioso y social no llegan a explicar su decisión de hacer una peregrinación, sino que hacen eminentemente plausible su elección de ir a la Tierra Santa y seguir a Cristo. Si bien es cierto que sus deseos fueron espirituales y de gran calado, Ignacio no vivió al margen de su historia. Tampoco la historiografía ignaciana puede estar al margen de algunas consideraciones históricas para poder entender que el soldado que pasó a ser el peregrino estuvo realizando un proyecto eminentemente español: realizar un viaje a Jerusalén por Cristo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ignatius of Loyola's convalescence is well-known as providing the occasion of his spiritual conversion. Inspired by two great religious texts, he decided to embark upon a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The interpretation of his decision to travel to the Holy Land, almost exclusively based on the Autobiography, tends to focus on his spiritual movements and his appropriation of the religious and spiritual content of what he was reading. Such an interpretation, though not mistaken, leaves out important considerations from his context. This article seeks to recover aspects of that context. The broad historical horizon of his conversion shows Jerusalem as occupying a considerable place in the Spanish religious imagination. Specifically, this study will consider the messianic aspirations attached to King Ferdinand as well as the conquest of Oran spearheaded by Francisco Jimenez de Cisneros. The literature surrounding both suggests the deep imbrication between Spanish religious thought and the Holy Land. In short, a historical critical analysis of sermons, songs, poetry and chronicles connected to these two significant historical figures points to the great currency of the desire for Jerusalem in early sixteenth century Spanish society. That desire, unquestionably nuanced and diverse, appears as a sign of the times, and as such, it forms the background of Ignatius of Loyola's convalescence and conversion. This broad social and religious desire, though it does not explain Ignatius's choice to make a pilgrimage, makes his election to travel to the Holy Land to follow Christ eminently plausible. For as spiritual and affectively motivated as he was to follow Christ, Ignatius was not at the margin of his history. Nor can Ignatian historiography and spirituality remain at the margin of important historical considerations to understand that the soldier who became a pilgrim was realizing a recognizable Spanish desire: he was journeying to the Holy Land for Christ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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