56 Facts About Francis Xavier

Francis Xavier led an extensive mission into Asia, mainly the Portuguese Empire in the East, and was influential in evangelisation work, most notably in early modern India.

Francis Xavier was extensively involved in the missionary activity in Portuguese India.

In 1546, Francis Xavier proposed the establishment of the Goan Inquisition in a letter addressed to the Portuguese King, John III.

Francis Xavier was the first Christian missionary to venture into Borneo, the Maluku Islands, and other areas.

Francis Xavier was about to extend his mission to Ming China, when he died on Shangchuan Island.

Francis Xavier is co-patron saint of Navarre, with Fermin.

Three years later, Francis Xavier's father died when Francis Xavier was only nine years old.

In 1516, Francis Xavier's brothers participated in a failed Navarrese-French attempt to expel the Spanish invaders from the kingdom.

In 1522, one of Francis Xavier's brothers participated with 200 Navarrese nobles in dogged but failed resistance against the Castilian Count of Miranda in Amaiur, Baztan, the last Navarrese territorial position south of the Pyrenees.

In 1525, Francis Xavier went to study in Paris at the College Sainte-Barbe, University of Paris, where he spent the next eleven years.

In 1529, Francis Xavier shared lodgings with his friend Pierre Favre.

At 38, Ignatius was much older than Pierre and Francis Xavier, who were both 23 at the time.

Ignatius convinced Pierre to become a priest, but was unable to convince Francis Xavier, who had aspirations of worldly advancement.

At first, Francis Xavier regarded the new lodger as a joke and was sarcastic about his efforts to convert students.

When Pierre left their lodgings to visit his family and Ignatius was alone with Francis Xavier, he was able to slowly break down Francis Xavier's resistance.

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

Francis Xavier devoted much of his life to missions in Asia, mainly in four centres: Malacca, Amboina and Ternate, Japan, and off-shore China.

Francis Xavier's growing information about new places indicated to him that he had to go to what he understood were centres of influence for the whole region.

Francis Xavier decided that he must begin by instructing the Portuguese themselves, and gave much of his time to the teaching of children.

Francis Xavier was invited to head Saint Paul's College, a pioneer seminary for the education of secular priests, which became the first Jesuit headquarters in Asia.

Francis Xavier soon learned that along the Pearl Fishery Coast, which extends from Cape Comorin on the southern tip of India to the island of Mannar, off Ceylon, there was a Jati of people called Paravas.

Francis Xavier taught those who had already been baptised and preached to those who weren't.

Francis Xavier devoted almost three years to the work of preaching to the people of southern India and Ceylon, converting many.

Francis Xavier built nearly 40 churches along the coast, including St Stephen's Church, Kombuthurai, mentioned in his letters dated 1544.

Francis Xavier set his sights eastward in 1545 and planned a missionary journey to Makassar on the island of Celebes.

Francis Xavier laboured there for the last months of that year.

Francis Xavier then visited the other Maluku Islands, including Ternate, Baranura, and Morotai.

Francis Xavier told Francis extensively about his former life, and the customs and culture of his homeland.

Francis Xavier later helped Xavier as a mediator and interpreter for the mission to Japan that now seemed much more possible.

Francis Xavier was accompanied by Anjiro, two other Japanese men, Father Cosme de Torres and Brother Juan Fernandez.

Francis Xavier had taken with him presents for the "King of Japan" since he was intending to introduce himself as the Apostolic Nuncio.

Francis Xavier was the first Jesuit to go to Japan as a missionary.

Francis Xavier brought with him paintings of the Madonna and the Madonna and Child.

Five of them bore on cushions valuable articles, including a portrait of Our Lady and a pair of velvet slippers, these not gifts for the prince, but solemn offerings to Francis Xavier, to impress the onlookers with his eminence.

Francis Xavier tried to combat the disposition of some of the Japanese that a God who had created everything, including evil, could not be good.

Francis Xavier was welcomed by the Shingon monks since he used the word Dainichi for the Christian God; attempting to adapt the concept to local traditions.

The monks later realised that Francis Xavier was preaching a rival religion and grew more resistant towards his attempts at conversion.

Francis Xavier worked for more than two years in Japan and saw his successor-Jesuits established.

Francis Xavier planned to introduce himself as Apostolic Nuncio and Pereira as the ambassador of the King of Portugal.

Francis Xavier was first buried on a beach at Shangchuan Island, Taishan, Guangdong.

The right forearm, which Francis Xavier used to bless and baptise his converts, was detached by Superior General Claudio Acquaviva in 1614.

Saint Francis Xavier's relics are kept in a silver casket, elevated inside the Bom Jesus Basilica and are exposed generally every ten years, but this is discretionary.

Relics of Saint Francis Xavier are found in the Espirito Santo Church, Margao, in Sanv Fransiku Xavierachi Igorz, Batpal, Canacona, Goa, and at St Francis Xavier Chapel, Portais, Panjim.

Francis Xavier is a major venerated saint in both Sonora and the neighbouring US state of Arizona.

In Magdalena de Kino in Sonora, Mexico, in the Church of Santa Maria Magdalena, there is a reclining statue of San Francisco Xavier brought by pioneer Jesuit missionary Padre Eusebio Kino in the early 18th century.

Also the Mission San Francis Xavier del Bac is a pilgrimage site.

Francis Xavier became widely noteworthy for his missionary work, both as an organiser and as a pioneer; he reputedly converted more people than anyone else had done since Paul the Apostle.

Francis Xavier's success spurred many Europeans to join the Jesuit order, as well as to become missionaries throughout the world.

Likewise, while Francis Xavier inspired many missionaries to China, Chinese Christians were forced underground there and developed their own Christian culture.

The alternative spelling Francis Xavier is popular in the Basque Country, Portugal, Catalonia, Brazil, France, Belgium, and southern Italy.

In India, the spelling Francis Xavier is almost always used, and the name is quite common among Christians, especially in Goa and in the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka.

Shortly before leaving for the East, Francis Xavier issued a famous instruction to Father Gaspar Barazeuz who was leaving to go to Ormuz, that he should mix with sinners:.

Francis Xavier insisted that missionaries adapt to many of the customs, and most certainly to the language, of the culture they wish to evangelise.

In 1546, Francis Xavier proposed the establishment of the controversial Goa Inquisition in a letter addressed to the Portuguese King, John III.

Francis Xavier wrote to the Portuguese king asking for protection in regards to new converts who were being harassed by Portuguese commandants.

Francis Xavier died in 1552 without ever living to see the commencement of the Goa Inquisition.