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How much time did St. Ignatius of Loyola spend in prayer each day at Manresa?

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Engraving by Lucas Vorsterman after Peter Paul Rubens showing St. Ignatius of Loyola with a halo, hands clasped in prayer before a crucifix and open book. — St. Ignatius of Loyola Ignatius of Loyola was a Spanish theologian who founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1534. The Jesuit order received official papal approval in 1540 and became a key player in the Counter-Reformation of the 16th and 17th centuries.

During his time in Manresa from March 1522 to mid-February 1523, St. Ignatius of Loyola lived a life of intense asceticism. As part of his daily routine, he attended mass and spent seven hours in prayer, often performing these devotions in a cave outside the town.1