Jerónimo Nadal (Latin: Hieronymus Natalis; 1507–1580) was a Spanish Jesuit priest, a close collaborator of St. Ignatius of Loyola, and a key figure in the early history and global promulgation of the Society of Jesus. He is recognized as an "Ignatian theologian" for his work in developing the theology behind Ignatian spirituality. 

Early Life and Education

Born in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, in 1507, Nadal was the eldest of four children. He studied at the University of Alcalá de Henares (1526), where he first met Ignatius of Loyola but kept his distance due to Ignatius's troubles with the Inquisition. He later moved to the University of Paris in 1532 to continue his studies, eventually studying theology and meeting Ignatius's companions again, but initially refused to join them, preferring the Gospels to the Spiritual Exercises, which he mistrusted as potentially heterodox. After leaving Paris for political reasons in 1536, he completed his training at the University of Avignon, where he earned a remarkable mastery of Hebrew.

Role in the Society of Jesus

Nadal eventually joined the Jesuits and became a central figure in the order's development: 

• Educator: In 1548, he became the first rector of the first Jesuit college in Messina, Sicily. His educational program there eventually led to the development of the Ratio Studiorum, the standardized Jesuit system of education.
• Administrator and Diplomat: From 1552, under four successive generals, Nadal traveled extensively throughout Europe to promulgate the newly written Jesuit Constitutions, acting as vicar-general, assistant, visitor, and peacemaker for Jesuit communities.
• Theologian: He was a papal theologian at the Council of Trent and twice served as rector of the Roman College. He is noted for his teaching on prayer, particularly the relationship between prayer and action (contemplation in action). 

Major Work and Legacy

Nadal is most famous for commissioning the Evangelicae historiae imagines (or Biblia Natalis), a foundational Jesuit work comprising a series of 153 engravings illustrating the life of Christ, intended to aid in prayer, preaching, and evangelization. The accompanying text, Adnotationes et meditationes in Evangelia (published posthumously in 1594-1595), was widely used throughout Europe, South America, and Asia. The images were based on paintings and drawings by artists like Bernardino Passeri and Maarten de Vos and engraved by the Wierix brothers and Adriaen Collaert.