Saint Francis Xavier, Missionary and Saint
Born to the nobility of the Basque reqion. Studied and taught philosophy at the University of Paris, and planned a career as a professor. Friend of Saint Ignatius of Loyola who convinced him to use his talents to spread the Gospel. One of the founding Jesuits, and the first Jesuit missionary. Priest.
In Goa, India, while waiting to take ship, he preached in the street, worked with the sick, and taught children their catechism. He would walk through the streets ringing a bell to call the children to their studies. Said to have converted the entire city.
He scolded his patron, King John of Portugal, over the slave trade: “You have no right to spread the Catholic faith while you take away all the country’s riches. It upsets me to know that at the hour of your death you may be ordered out of paradise.”
Tremendously successful missionary for ten years in India, the East Indies, and Japan, baptizing more than 40,000 converts. His epic finds him dining with head hunters, washing the sores of lepers in Venice, teaching catechism to Indian children, baptizing 10,000 in a single month. He tolerated the most appalling conditions on long sea voyages, enduring extremes of heat and cold. Wherever he went he would seek out and help the poor and forgotten. He traveled thousands of miles, most on his bare feet, and he saw the greater part of the Far East. Had the gift of tongues. Miracle worker. Raised people from the dead. Calmed storms. Prophet. Healer.
Born
7 April 1506 at Javier, Spanish Navarre as Francisco de Jaso y Azpilicueta
Died
2 December 1552 at Sancian, China of a fever contracted on a mission journey
some relics enshrined in the Saint Thomas Cathedral Basilica in Santhome, Chennai, India
Beatified
25 October 1619 by Pope Paul V
Canonized
12 March 1622 by Pope Gregory XV
Patronage
against plague epidemics
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African missions
black missions
foreign missions (proclaimed on 25 March 1904 by Pope Pius X)
missionaries (proclaimed on 14 December 1927 by Pope Pius XI)
navigators
parish missions
travellers
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Australia
Borneo
Brunei
China
East Indies
India (proclaimed on 27 June 1962 by Pope John XXIII)
Indonesia
Japan
New Zealand
Pakistan (proclaimed on 16 August 1933 by Pope Pius XI, and on 1 March 1940 by Pope Pius XI)
Singapore
Sri Lanka
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Agartala, India, diocese of
Ahmedabad, India, diocese of
Alexandria, Louisiana, diocese of
Amravati, India, diocese of
Calcutta, India, archdiocese of
Caltanissetta, Italy, diocese of
Cape Town, South Africa, archdiocese of
Chicoutimi, Québec, diocese of
Dinajpur, Bangladesh, diocese of
Green Bay, Wisconsin, diocese of
Grodno, Belarus, diocese of
Hpa-an, Myanmar, diocese of
Indianapolis, Indiana, archdiocese of
Joiliet, Illinois, diocese of
Kabankalan, Philippines, diocese of
Macau, China, diocese of
Malindi, Kenya, diocese of
Mumbai, India, archdiocese of
Whitehorse, Yukon Territories, diocese of
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in India
Bangalore
Goa
in Malaysia
Sabah
Sarawak
in the Philippines
Abuyog, Leyte
Alegria, Cebu
Freising, Germany
Kalimantan, Indonesia
Navarre, Spain
Setúbal, Portugal
Shangchuan Island, China
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Apostleship of Prayer
Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith
Fathers of the Precious Blood
Missioners of the Precious Blood
Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan
University of Saint Francis Xavier, Sucre, Bolivia
Xaverian Brothers
World Youth Day 2011
Representation
crucifix
preacher carrying a flaming heart
bell
globe
vessel
young bearded Jesuit in the company of Saint Ignatius Loyola
young bearded Jesuit with a torch, flame, cross and lily