St. Ignatius water
Aqua Sancti Ignatii
- Known today as
- Water blessed with a relic or medal of St. Ignatius of Loyola, by a formula of the Society of Jesus.
- Kind
- Sacramental, in 1 older authority
- Earliest authority here
- The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York, 1907–1914)
Revised October 1, 2026: An authority added from a text read in full. Version 1, first published September 28, 2026.
St. Ignatius water: what was it used for?
Given to the sick and to women in childbirth, and used against fever and the harassment of evil spirits, above all in the Jesuit missions.
St. Ignatius water: what does modern science say?
Still blessed in some Jesuit churches.
St. Ignatius water: what lore surrounds it?
It belongs to a family of saints’ waters, each blessed by contact with a relic, through which a saint’s protection was carried far from the shrine.
St. Ignatius water: what did the older authorities say?
- The Catholic Encyclopedia
- The Catholic Encyclopedia notes that the Rituale Romanum “contains a number of such blessings, for example ‘Modus benedicendi aquam’ with other similar formulae in honour of St. Adelhaid, St. Willibrord, St. Vincent Ferrer etc., particularly. The purpose of this is generally medicinal.” Such waters are “blessed with various special formulae for devotional purposes,” and the Ritual's appendices of blessings “grow continually. As soon as the Sacred Congregation of Rites approves a new blessing it is added to the next edition.”
Sources
- [21] Herbermann, C. G., et al. (eds.) (1907–1912). The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Online at newadvent.org. Articles: Agnus Dei (H. Thurston); Amulet (M. Hassett); Ash Wednesday (H. Thurston); Bells (H. Thurston); Holy Oils (H. Leclercq); Paschal Candle (H. Thurston); Scapular (J. Hilgers). Read in part · the text read
- The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York, 1907–1914), “Water, Liturgical Use of.” newadvent.org/cathen/15564a.htm Standard reference work
- The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York, 1907–1914), “Ritual.” newadvent.org/cathen/13088b.htm Standard reference work
Verification
- Checked
- October 1, 2026
- Passes
- Every dated or regulatory claim checked by category across the database
- Each quotation from the older authorities checked word for word against the text, read in full
- Sources
- 3 cited: 1 read in part, 2 standard reference work.
- Corrections
- None were needed.
What was checked, how, and what was found is set out on the Verification page. A checked source is one whose record was found; it does not make the entry medical advice.
Cite This Entry
Version 1 · first published September 28, 2026 · last revised October 1, 2026
- Chicago
“St. Ignatius water.” In Materia Medica, edited by B. C. P. Statema. Version 1. The Thinking Press, 2026–. Last modified October 1, 2026. https://thethinkingpress.org/materia-medica/st-ignatius-water.
- MLA
“St. Ignatius water.” Materia Medica, edited by B. C. P. Statema, version 1, The Thinking Press, 1 Oct. 2026, thethinkingpress.org/materia-medica/st-ignatius-water. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.
- APA
St. Ignatius water. (2026, October 1). In B. C. P. Statema (Ed.), Materia medica (Version 1). The Thinking Press. Retrieved October 8, 2026, from https://thethinkingpress.org/materia-medica/st-ignatius-water
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See Also
Also in The Catholic Encyclopedia
St. John’s fires in The Catholic Encyclopedia · St. Hubert’s key in The Catholic Encyclopedia · St. Walburga’s oil in The Catholic Encyclopedia · St. Christopher medal in The Catholic Encyclopedia · everything The Catholic Encyclopedia names →
Nearby in the alphabet
St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) · St. Blaise candles (crossed and held at the throat on 3 February, the feast of St) · St. Zacharias cross (each standing for a Latin invocation against the plague) · St. Benedict medal (A medal of St)
Historical description, not medical advice.