The aim of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola is to help people fill their everyday lives with the Christian faith. Created in the 16th century (1522–1524), this book remains a topical guide on how to improve our spiritual growth. The book is split in four thematic chapters, called "weeks", entitled "God's Mercy, My Sin," "God's call to me in Christ," "Sharing in the Cross of Christ,""The Resurrection". Each week has a program of meditations, prayers, considerations, and contemplative practices. They are all aimed to help people improve their religious intentions in practice, so that every life decision is based on the faith and devotion to the Christ. The book's popularity has grown considerable since 1980's and also spread to other Christian denominations.
Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556) was a Spanish Catholic priest and theologian, co-founder of the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits). He was also selected as the first Superior General of the Society of Jesus, at Paris, in 1541.He was a spiritual director of Jesuits and developed his method of devotion and recommendation for his brotherhood in Spiritual Exercises. After his death, Ignatius was beatified and received a title of a saint in 1622. Ignatius is a patron saint of soldiers.
