Today’s saint is Íñigo of Oña. He was the Benedictine abbot of San Salvador at Oña. St. Ignatius of Loyola, born in Calatayud, is a patron saint of this city. 

His Feast Day is celebrated on June 1, the day he was canonized by Pope Alexander IV in 1259.

Brief History

Initially, a hermit, Íñigo of Oña, returned to reform the monasteries at the initiative of King Sancho III of Pamplona. He maintained close ties with his fellow priests but was also known to Jews and Muslims during his abbacy. In 1048, Garcia V of Navarre, within whose jurisdiction Oña lay, granted the monastery jurisdiction over San Juan de Pancorvo and San Juan, Santa Maria, and San Martin de Albania.

Along with Dominic of Silos, Íñigo assisted in the dedication of Garcia’s new monastic foundation of Santa Maria la Real at Nájera on December 12, 1052. Along with Garcia, Íñigo also intervened to prevent the fraternal conflict that ended in the Battle of Atapuerca. Garcia died in this conflict on September 1, 1054.  Íñigo died at Ona a few years later.

After Death

St. Íñigo’s remains were moved to the chapel altar, where he laid in honor of the abbot on the date of his death. In 1163, even though he had not yet been beatified or canonized at that time by Pope Alexander III. In 1170, Pope Alexander III agreed to allow his remains to relocate to the chapel where his body rests. Alexander IV granted an indulgence to those who visited his tomb in 1258.