Biography
Aloysius was born into the powerful and wealthy Gonzaga family in northern Italy. His father fully expected him to become a great soldier and nobleman, taking him to military camps at age four. Growing up amid the violence and decadence of Renaissance courts in Italy and Spain, Aloysius resolved to live a life of intense purity and devotion. He signed over his inheritance to his brother and joined the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in Rome under the spiritual direction of St. Robert Bellarmine. In 1591, a plague struck Rome. The Jesuits opened a hospital, and Aloysius begged to serve the sick. He contracted the plague from a patient he was carrying to the hospital and died at the age of 23.
Miracles & Signs
- ✦Appearing in glory to St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi
- ✦Healing of the terminally ill student Nicolaus Celestini
Wisdom & Quotes
“I am a piece of twisted iron; I entered religion in order to be untwisted straight.”
“It is better to be a child of God than king of the whole world.”