Saint Francis Xavier: the first jesuit missionary

In just ten years, Saint Francis Xavier accomplished an extraordinary missionary work. In addition to bringing the Gospel message to the East, he was widely recognized for his ability to adapt the message to the culture and traditions of the diverse peoples he encountered.

Born into a Spanish family of noble origins, Francis Xavier studied in France at the Sorbonne from a young age. He completed his studies with distinction and soon stood out for his passionate nature. During this time, he met Ignatius of Loyola and Pierre Favre, with whom he shared a room at college. This encounter sparked his interest in consecrating himself to God and in apostolic life. On August 15th, 1534, Francis, Ignatius, Pierre, and four other companions took their first vows, which later became the foundation of the Society of Jesus.

In 1537, Francis Xavier was ordained a priest. Along with the traditional vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, he and his companions added a fourth vow: obedience to the Pope. It was under this vow that Francis was sent by Pope Paul III on a mission to the East Indies. Before departing, he and his companions officially founded the Society of Jesus, to which he remained committed until the end of his life. On March 15th, 1540, Francis traveled to Lisbon, Portugal, and a few days later set off for Goa, the capital of the Portuguese Empire in the Indies. After a 13-month journey, he arrived and settled in a hospital, where he cared for the sick – one of the main focuses of his apostolic mission. In addition to caring for the sick, he offered significant spiritual assistance to prisoners, local merchants, and Portuguese soldiers.

His journeys in the name of God had only just begun. After some time, he traveled to southern India to bring the Gospel to the Paravas, an indigenous tribe of Cape Comorin. He spent two challenging years there, moving from village to village to preach the Gospel and baptize the locals.

He continued on to Malaysian and Japanese lands, where he opened the door to Christianity despite the resistance of the local people, and eventually reached China, hoping to spread the Gospel there as well. However, he was forced to stop on the island of Shangchuan, where he died in 1552 from a violent fever.

His great mission inspired many and opened the doors of the East to the Christian message for the first time. Francis Xavier was canonized alongside Ignatius of Loyola in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV. His feast day is celebrated by the Catholic Church on December 3rd. He is considered the patron saint of missions and was buried in the Jesuit church of Goa, where his great missionary work began.