Saint of the Day - Francis Xavier (December 3rd)
Channel: House of Prayers for Everyone (HOPE)
Date: 2023-12-02

Saint Francis Xavier was a Spanish Catholic missionary who co-founded the Society of Jesus and as a representative of the Portuguese empire, led the first Christian mission to Japan. His feast day is 3 December.

Early Life

Francis Xavier was born on 7 April 1506 into an influential noble family. His father was Don Juan de Jasso y Atondo, Lord of Idocín. His mother, Doña María de Azpilcueta y Aznárez, was the sole heiress to the Castle of Xavier.

His father died when he was only 9. In 1516, the Spanish invaded their kingdom, confiscated the family lands, and demolished the outer wall leaving only the family residence inside the castle.

In 1525, Francis went to study in Paris. Four years later, he and his friend Pierre Favre became roommates with Ignatius of Loyola. Ignatius convinced Pierre to become a priest but was unable to convince Francis.

Later, he was able to slowly break down Francis's resistance. Ignatius is said to have posed the question: "What will it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

In 1530, Francis received the degree of Master of Arts and afterward taught Aristotelian philosophy at Beauvais College, University of Paris.

Birth of the Society of Jesus

On 15 August 1534, seven students met in a crypt beneath the Church of Saint-Denis (now Saint Pierre de Montmartre): Francis, Ignatius of Loyola, Alfonso Salmeron, Diego Laínez, Nicolás Bobadilla from Spain, Peter Faber from Savoy, and Simão Rodrigues from Portugal.

They made private vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience to the Pope, and also vowed to go to the Holy Land to convert infidels. Francis began his study of theology in 1534 and was ordained on 24 June 1537.

In 1539, Ignatius drew up a formula for a new religious order, the Society of Jesus. The plan was approved by Pope Paul III in 1540.

That same year, King John of Portugal requested Jesuit missionaries to travel to faraway territories with Portuguese communities. The Jesuit's primary mission was to restore Christianity among the Portuguese settlers.

Missionary Works

Francis began his life as the first Jesuit missionary leaving Rome on 15 March 1540. He devoted much of his life to missions in India, Malacca, and the present-day Maluku Islands of Indonesia. Later, he became particularly attracted to Japan because of its culture.

In December 1547, Francis met a Japanese man named Anjirō who would become the first Japanese Christian and adopted the name 'Paulo de Santa Fé'. He later helped Xavier as a mediator and interpreter for the mission to Japan.

They reached the province of Satsuma on 15 August 1549 along with three other Jesuits. He brought with him paintings of the Madonna and the Madonna and Child. These paintings were used to help teach the Japanese about Christianity.

As representative of the Portuguese king, the daimyō of Satsuma gave them a friendly reception on 29 September 1549; however, he soon forbade the conversion of his subjects to Christianity under penalty of death the following year.

Shortly before Christmas of 1550, he left for Kyoto but failed to meet with the Emperor. He returned to Yamaguchi in March 1551, where the daimyo of the province permitted him to preach.

Francis' mission in Japan lasted more than two years and saw his successor-Jesuits established. He then decided to return to India. 

Death

During his trip from Japan back to India, they stopped in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, where he met Diogo Pereira who showed him a letter from Portuguese prisoners in Guangzhou, asking for a Portuguese ambassador to speak to the Chinese Emperor on their behalf.

In late August 1552, they reached the Chinese island of Shangchuan. Unfortunately, Francis died from a fever on 3 December 1552, while he was waiting for a boat that would take him to mainland China.

He was initially buried on a beach at Shangchuan and was later transferred to St. Paul's Church in Portuguese Malacca on 22 March 1553. On 11 December 1553, Xavier's body was shipped to Goa. His mostly incorruptible body was later transferred to the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa.

Francis Xavier was beatified by Paul V on 25 October 1619 and was canonized by Gregory XV on 12 March 1622, at the same time as Ignatius Loyola. Pius XI proclaimed him the "Patron of Catholic Missions". 

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Image attributed to:
- By 『中公バックス 日本の歴史 別巻2 図録 鎌倉から戦国』より。, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1262310