Alcalá Commemorates 500 Years of Saint Ignatius of Loyola

The Antezana Hospital will be the epicenter of events recalling the founder of the Society of Jesus's stay in the city between 1526 and 1527.

Facade of the Antezana Hospital in Alcalá de Henares.
IA

Facade of the Antezana Hospital in Alcalá de Henares.

Alcalá de Henares is preparing to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Saint Ignatius of Loyola's stay in the city, an event that will take place between September 2026 and May 2027.

The former Antezana Hospital, where Íñigo López de Loyola resided and served between 1526 and 1527, will be the main venue for the commemorative events. The presentation of the program took place this Wednesday at the hospital.
The event was attended by the mayoress of Alcalá de Henares, Judith Piquet, along with the rector of the University of Alcalá, Carmelo García Pérez, the bishop of Alcalá, Antonio Prieto Lucena, and the president of the Antezana Foundation, Asensio Esteban Vallejo, among other representatives.
The commemoration, supported by the City Council, will run from September 2026 to May 2027. It will include a series of conferences, an exhibition, musical recitals, and guided tours to evoke the figure of Saint Ignatius of Loyola as a student and resident in the city.
Mayoress Piquet highlighted the "historical and spiritual importance" of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and the influence of his stay in Alcalá on his personal and religious evolution, emphasizing the city's philosophical, theological, and medical significance during the Golden Age.
Piquet thanked the involvement of the University and the Bishopric, and praised the prominence of the Antezana Foundation in the celebration and in the city's cultural, intellectual, and tourist potential.
In 1526, Íñigo López de Loyola moved to Alcalá de Henares to study philosophy and theology at the new University founded by Cardinal Cisneros. He was hosted at the Antezana Hospital as a kitchen and nursing assistant, which allowed him to dedicate himself to his studies and evangelization project.
Based on information from the official source: Ayuntamiento de Alcalá de Henares (08/07/2026)