Regimini militantis Ecclesiae (Latin for To the Government of the Church Militant) was the papal bull promulgated by Pope Paul III on September 27, 1540, which gave a first approval to the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, but limited the number of its members to sixty. The first group of Jesuits, then known simply as "reformed priests", proceeded then to elect Saint Ignatius of Loyola as their Superior General, against his opposition, and pledged him obedience, recognizing him as "holding the place of God" in relation to them.