Feast: June 21
Patron of: Youth, students, and those living with serious illness
Birth: March 9, 1568 – Death: June 21, 1591
Religious Order: Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
Early Life and Noble Lineage
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga (Italian: Luigi Gonzaga) was born into the illustrious House of Gonzaga in Castiglione delle Stiviere, in the region of Lombardy, Italy. His father, Ferrante Gonzaga, was the Marquis of Castiglione, a proud and ambitious nobleman, intent upon raising his son to become a distinguished soldier and courtier. His mother, Marta Tana, was a noblewoman of deep piety and prayer, who sowed in Aloysius the seeds of sanctity from an early age.
At merely four years old, Aloysius was given a miniature suit of armor and exposed to the intrigues and vanities of court life. However, though surrounded by the allurements of the world, the child displayed a precocious seriousness, modesty, and attraction to divine things.
Conversion and Vow of Chastity
At the age of seven, Aloysius experienced a profound spiritual awakening. Having been exposed to the life of the saints and devout practices by his mother, he made a personal vow of perpetual chastity at the tender age of nine. This vow, made privately and with great determination, would mark the rest of his short life.
He began to mortify himself early, fasting often and dedicating long hours to prayer, particularly in front of the Blessed Sacrament. The court, which saw his purity and prayerfulness as signs of eccentricity or excess, tried to dissuade him, but Aloysius remained steadfast.
Renunciation of Inheritance and Entry into the Society of Jesus
Recognizing that God was calling him to a higher vocation, Aloysius renounced his inheritance and title as heir to the marquisate of Castiglione. This renunciation was not without struggle; his father opposed his desire to enter religious life and tried to dissuade him through both persuasion and threats. Nevertheless, after much resistance and family discord, Ferrante finally relented.
In 1585, at the age of 17, Aloysius entered the Society of Jesus in Rome. There he lived as a novice with all the fervor of a saint already perfected. He was known for his spirit of humility, strict observance of religious discipline, and profound charity toward others.
Charity unto Death: The Plague in Rome
In 1591, a severe plague struck Rome. The Jesuit seminarians were enlisted to help tend to the sick and dying. Though Aloysius was frail and often ill himself, he begged his superiors for permission to assist in the hospitals. With heroic charity, he nursed the afflicted, washed their wounds, and prepared many for a holy death.
In one such act of service, he contracted the plague himself. He suffered his final illness with great serenity and joy, longing for union with Christ. Though only 23 years old, he had already reached a high degree of spiritual perfection. On June 21, 1591, shortly after receiving Holy Communion, he gave up his soul to God.
Spiritual Character and Devotion
Saint Aloysius is remembered especially for:
- His heroic chastity, preserved in the midst of great temptation.
- His humble obedience and detachment from worldly honor.
- His burning love for Christ crucified and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
- His zeal for souls, shown most clearly in his care for plague victims.
His life bore witness to the words of Our Lord: “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8).
Canonization and Veneration
Saint Aloysius was beatified by Pope Paul V in 1605 and canonized by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726. The same pope declared him the Patron of Youth in 1729. His relics are venerated at the Church of Saint Ignatius in Rome.
Traditional devotions often call on his intercession to preserve the innocence of the young and to aid the faithful in cultivating purity of heart and mind.
Liturgical Legacy
His feast is observed on June 21 in the Traditional Roman Calendar. The Proper of the Mass and Office for his feast emphasize both his angelic purity and heroic charity. The Collect traditionally prays:
O God, the giver of heavenly gifts, Who in the angelic youth Aloysius didst unite wonderful innocence of life with penance, grant through his merits and prayers that we, who have not followed him in innocence, may imitate him in penance. Through our Lord…