St. Ignatius of Loyola, July 31
A Basque officer wounded at the siege of Pamplona in 1521, Ignatius converted while recovering. He wrote the Spiritual Exercises and founded the Society of Jesus with companions he met in Paris; the pope approved it in 1540. He died in Rome in 1556.
On the General Roman Calendar, July 31 is a memorial: Saint Ignatius of Loyola, priest.
Other saints on July 31
- St. Germanus of Auxerre, bishop (448)
Name days on July 31
In countries that keep name days, July 31 is the day for people named Ignatius and Ignacio. These names come from the same saint, as variants, nicknames or forms used in other languages.
| Name | Feast day |
|---|---|
| Ignatius | July 31 |
| Ignacio | July 31 |
July 31 on the calendar
July 31 is the 212th day of the year (the 213th in a leap year), with 153 days left until December 31. Here is the day of the week it falls on in the coming years:
| Year | Day |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday |
| 2027 | Saturday |
| 2028 | Monday |
| 2029 | Tuesday |
| 2030 | Wednesday |
Keeping July 31
July 31 falls in summer. As a memorial, the saint is named in the opening prayer of every Mass celebrated that day. Families who keep name days often mark the day with a card, a candle or a favorite meal, and parishes named after the saint may hold a festival. If you know someone named Ignatius and Ignacio, it is a good day to send a note.
Saints of the week around July 31
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| July 28 | St. Samson of Dol |
| July 29 | Sts. Martha, Mary and Lazarus |
| July 30 | St. Peter Chrysologus |
| August 1 | St. Alphonsus Liguori |
| August 2 | St. Eusebius of Vercelli |
| August 3 | St. Lydia |
The day before, July 30, is the day of St. Peter Chrysologus. The day after, August 1, belongs to St. Alphonsus Liguori. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.