IGNATIUS-OF-LOYOLA - GENIUS OR MENTALLY-ILL

Subsequent to a severe injury and under the influence of religious rea ding, Loyola experienced a dramatic mental change in his spiritual val ues in the sense of a sublimation to an alternative knighthood. His be haviour patterns observed thereafter were determined by a totality of his attachment to God. Based on this certainty in his faith, which was free from any doubts, and on God, and with the background of fasting and praying, he had visionary and pseudo-hallucinatory experiences. As the founder of an order and head of the community of Jesuits, Ignatiu s of Loyola proved to be diplomatically highly talented. There is no e vidence of any psychotic disease. Also, there is no probability of a p ersonality disorder in the sense of a neurosis. The numerous unusual b ehaviour patterns of Ignatius cannot be interpreted as psychopathologi cal symptoms. It is justified to call him a genius.