Full Name: Saint Francis Xavier, born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta
Profession: Catholic Missionary and Saint
Biography: Saint Francis Xavier was a Spanish Roman Catholic missionary and a co-founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Best known for his missionary work in Asia, he is considered one of the greatest Christian missionaries since St. Paul.
His achievements include helping to establish Christianity in India, the Malay Archipelago, and Japan. Xavier's work also had a lasting educational impact, with numerous institutions named after him, and his involvement in the early inception of the Goa Inquisition remains a point of historical controversy.
Born into nobility, Francis Xavier pursued higher education at the University of Paris, where he met Ignatius of Loyola and Pierre Favre. Initially resistant to religious life, Xavier was persuaded by Ignatius to embrace a religious call. They, along with five others, became the first members of the Jesuits in 1534, taking vows of poverty and chastity.
Departing for Asia in 1541, Xavier began missionary work in Goa, India, in 1542. He focused on the spiritual care of Portuguese settlers and evangelized the local population, often facing challenging conditions. Expanding his missionary efforts to the Maluku Islands and Malacca, Xavier converted many to Christianity.
In 1549, Xavier reached Kagoshima, Japan, with the help of a Japanese man named Anjirō. Xavier's strategy there involved cultural adaptation and obtaining permission from local authorities, which led to the establishment of Christian congregations amid resistance and complex religious dynamics.
Xavier's next ambition was reaching China, but he died on Shangchuan Island in 1552 before achieving that goal.
Francis Xavier was beatified in 1619 and canonized in 1622, and his body, considered mostly incorrupt, is enshrined at Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa. His influence is recognized through his title "Apostle of the Indies" and as co-patron of foreign missions.
Sites linked to Francis Xavier's life are significant pilgrimage destinations. His feast day is celebrated on December 3.
Born: April 7, 1506
Birthplace: Javier, Kingdom of Navarre
Star Sign: Aries
Died: December 3, 1552 (aged 46)
Cause of Death: Fever while on the Chinese island of Shangchuan
Historical Events
- 1541-04-07 Spanish missionary Francis Xavier leaves Lisbon for the Portuguese East Indies as the first Jesuit missionary
- 1542-05-06 Francis Xavier reaches Old Goa, then capital of Portuguese India
- 1549-07-27 First Christian missionary in Japan, Jesuit priest Francis Xavier reaches Japan but is not permitted to enter any port until August 15
- 1549-08-15 Jesuit priest Saint Francis Xavier comes ashore at Kagoshima (Traditional Japanese date: July 22, 1549)
- 2017-09-06 Mother Teresa declared co-patron saint of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Calcutta alongside St. Francis Xavier
Biographies and Sources
- Saint Francis Xavier - Jesuits Global
- Who was Francis Xavier? - Xavier University
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