Your Faith Journey with EWTN
As we deepen our relationship with the Eternal Word, Jesus Christ, we grow in grace and are transformed by His love and mercy.
April 7, 1506–December 3, 1552
Patron Saint of foreign and parish missions, Apostleship of Prayer, Propagation of the Faith, epidemics, Fathers of the Precious Blood, Missioners of the Precious Blood, 28 cities worldwide, 11 countries, Sophia University in Japan, St. Francis Xavier University in Canada, and the Diocese of Malindi in Kenya
St. Francis Xavier was born at the Castle of Xavier in Navarre, modern-day Spain, at the beginning of the 16th century. St. Francis Xavier came from a noble Basque family. Both privilege and loss marked his early years. His father died when St. Francis Xavier was young, and his family’s lands were caught up in political turmoil.
At the age of 19, he began his studies in Paris, where he met St. Ignatius of Loyola. St. Ignatius was planning to found the Society of Jesus. St. Ignatius soon won the confidence of St. Francis Xavier and his friend, Pierre Favre. The trio recruited four other students who would become novitiates of the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits.
In 1537, he took his priestly vows in Rome with St. Ignatius. As the group made preparations to undertake their missionary work, they awaited the approval for the founding of their order. Upon receiving authorization from Rome, St. Francis Xavier was appointed to evangelize the people of the West Indies.
In 1541, St. Francis Xavier set out for the East, arriving in Goa, India. Over the next decade, he travelled extensively, working among the people, preaching, translating, baptizing, and founding churches. He carried the Gospel to the Malay Archipelago and to Japan.
He made one last journey to China, driven by a great desire to evangelize on the mainland. However, he died on December 3, 1552, on the island of Sancian, off the coast of China. St. Francis Xavier’s body is enshrined in a church in Goa, India, under the care of the Jesuits. His right arm is kept in Rome at the Jesuit order’s mother church.
St. Francis Xavier was canonized in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV. He is the patron saint of missionaries. His legacy includes an impressive number of Christian communities in Asia, missionary societies, a Jesuit college in Goa, and many churches that bear his name with honor.
Estimates of the number of people baptized by St. Francis Xavier range from 30,000 to 70,000, with the actual figure thought to be closer to 30,000. The focus of his work was on communities in India and the Malay region. Equally significant, however, is the influence his work contributed through establishing churches, training local catechists, and inspiring future missionaries.
St. Francis Xavier was attentive to language, customs, and local social structures. He used interpreters and translated catechisms into the native language. In Japan, he considered local etiquette and adapted his approach. He modified how he dressed and followed social norms so as not to offend cultural sensibilities. His willingness to engage and respect culture was unusual for his time.
St. Francis Xavier’s missionary work involved learning the language and understanding the culture of the people he served. Beyond learning the language and respect for local customs, St. Francis Xavier strongly believed in training native people for the priesthood and other leadership roles to continue the faith in new communities. He established seminaries and mentored local leaders. This belief, which he held as essential for the survival of the Faith, was a revolutionary idea at his time.
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This original docudrama of St. Francis Xavier dramatizes crucial episodes in his life, from his years at the Sorbonne to his missionary work in Asia. See how his love for Christ took his ministry to the ends of the Earth.
As we deepen our relationship with the Eternal Word, Jesus Christ, we grow in grace and are transformed by His love and mercy.
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