26 February 2007
Others
To commemorate the one-hundredth anniversary of Father Pedro Arrupe, the Company of Jesus will be holding various events throughout 2007. This Jesuit priest, born in Bilbao and of worldwide renown, served as Father General of the Company of Jesus for 18 years (1965-1983), and Great Chancellor of the University of Deusto.
Sculpture of Pedro Arrupe
The Romanian artist Septimiu Jugrestan is the author of the sculpture in memory of Father Arrupe. This work is cast in bronze by the lost wax process, with a weight of 1,300 kg and 2.70 metres high. It is placed on a 60x70 cm sandstone base. Jugrestan has combined simplicity and spirituality in the making of Father Arrupe?s statue, thus avoiding excessive solemnity.
The sculpture has been expressly designed for the urban space where it has been placed. In this sense, the excessive height of the base is motivated by the desire that Father Arrupe?s sculpture can be seen as soon as one starts crossing the footbridge which carries his name, from the area surrounding the Guggenheim Museum.
28-year-old Septimiu Jugrestan, is also the author of the bust in honour of the Basque writer Lauaxeta, located in the Lakua district in Vitoria. His works can also be seen in public places in Erandio and Santurtzi. At present, Jugrestan is doing his PhD in Fine Arts at the Leioa campus of the University of the Basque Country.
Events to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of Pedro Arrupe?s birth
Along with this event, the Company of Jesus has organised various activities that include conference series, several book presentations and a concert by Gontzal Mendibil. In addition, on 13 and 14 November, dates which commemorate the 100th anniversary of Arrupe?s birth, Father General Peter Kolvenbach is expected to visit Bilbao. During his stay in Bilbao, the highest Jesuit representative will give a lecture on Arrupe?s figure, and he will inaugurate two exhibitions. One is a photography exhibition at the Fine Arts Museum in Bilbao, and another at Arrupe Etxea. In addition, a web page dedicated to Pedro Arrupe has been set up:www.pedroarrupe.net
Pedro Arrupe, the most famous Bilbao-born Jesuit
Born in Bilbao in 1907, Pedro Arrupe studied at the Escolapios School in Bilbao. He was the son of the co-founder of La Gaceta del Norte newspaper. He studied Medicine in Madrid from 1923 to 1927, where he met Severo Ochoa. In 1927, he entered the Company of Jesus and he studied Philosophy, Philology and Psychology in Loyola. In 1931, he went into exile in Holland, where he lived and was ordained priest in 1936. Then, he was sent to the USA, where he worked with prisoners and immigrants.
In 1938, he went to Japan and, in 1945, he was in Hiroshima when the atomic bomb exploded. With hardly any means, he transformed the novitiate into a field hospital. Then, in 1954, he was elected Jesuit Superior in Japan. Later, in 1965, he was elected Father General of the Company of Jesus, which coincided with the celebration of the Second Vatican Council. As a result, he took an active part in this Council, as well as in the renovation it meant for the Church.
Pedro Arrupe was characterised by promoting and defending social justice, and by giving priority to his work with the underprivileged, which lead him to be misunderstood even within the Church. In 1981, he had a thrombosis, which made him suffer a long-term illness. He died in Rome in 1991.
