Saint Francis Xavier was the sixth and the last child born to Dom João de Jassu y Atondo and Doña Maria de Azpilcueta y Aznarez de Sada, on Tuesday, 7th of April 1506 in the Holy Week, at the Castle of Xavier, in the kingdom of Navarre, Spain. Magdalena, their eldest daughter gave up her position as the maid of honour to Queen Isabella of Castille (1474-1504) and became a poor Clare at Gandia, Ana married Diego de Ezpeleta, Lord of Vyre, when Francis was just six. One of her grandson, Gerónymo would join the Jesuits in 1568, he dropped his family name, ‘de Ezpeleta’ and took up the name of his saintly granduncle and thereafter signed himself as Jerome Xavier (1549-1617). Jerome Xavier visits India in 1581 and worked at the Mughal court from 1595.
He died in Goa on 26 June 1617, in a fire which burnt him at
the new College of St. Paul or of Saint Roch as widely known, when he was the
rector of the college.
As a youth, Francis Xavier bed goodbye to his mom and
siblings, whom he would never see again, and set his journey to Paris in
September 1525. He enrolled at the college of St. Barbara and began studies in
Latin, Greek, Rhetoric and poetry. He also began studying arts and took his
licentiate on 15th March 1529 followed by his masters in a week’s time. As a
student of means, he had a man-servant (a student like him, but poor) who he
had employed. As a student he had his share of distractions, frivolities and
follies. He enjoyed the sport of high jumping and referred to as “one of the
first high-jumpers on the island”, by St. Ignatious. Deprived of his mother’s
guidance, Francis moved about like a sheep without a shepherd.
He could never manage his finances and live within his
allowances. His pestering letters home, asking for more money all the time was
one reason they wanted to call him back home. However his sister Magdalena, the
poor Clare had a deep feeling that someday her brother would become a great
servant of God and a pillar of the Church. Francis shares his room with Inigo
de Loiola who was instrumental in changing Francis’s attitude, by dining into
his ear the famous words of Jesus, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole
world, if he loses his own soul” and Pedro Fabro. The transformed Francis joins
Inigo in 1534, where he promises to serve Jesus in poverty and chastity.
On 24th June 1537 Francis was ordained priest together with
Inacio (Inigo) four others. Unable to go to the Holy Land due to war, they
present themselves to the Pope ready to go anywhere and to always be at his
disposal. The Society of Jesus was officially founded in 1540.
At the request of the Portuguese King, one of their member
is chosen to go to distant India, but falls terribly sick and hence Francis is
asked to take his place. In 1542, Francis lands Goa in the company of
Portuguese governor Dom Martim Afonso after a long voyage of 8 months. On
reaching Goa he first visits the Bishop of Goa who is highly pleased with
Francis’s humility even though he was the Pontifical Nuncio.
Not considering the special invites of both the governor and
the bishop, he chooses the Royal Hospital of Ribandar as his residence and
spends his days nursing the sick and teaching the Christian doctrine. In the
same year, the College of Saint Paul had been established in Goa for priestly
formation of local candidates, where Francis was requested to hold rectorship
which he did not accept and moved to Cochin and returns back to Goa in 1548. In
1549, Francis takes leave from all his colleagues at St. Paul’s College as he
moves to Japan. Many tears are shed and many express their wish to join
Francis. On August 15TH, Francis walks for the first time on Japanese soil.
In 1552, Francis reaches Goa in February with two Japanese
companions. He is accorded a royal welcome the Saint Paul’s College, where he
stays only for two months. In April he leaves for China accompanied by Fr.
Gago, Brother Alvaro Ferreira, the Chinese Antonio de Santa Fe and the Indian
servent Cristovão. During this voyage, he visits the missions of Cochin and
Malacca. From Singapore they go to the island of Sangchwan on the way to China.
His friends try to convince him to cancel his trip to China, but Francis didn’t
change his mind.
In December he is seized with fever and his health
deteriorates rapidly. Antonio sees that the moment has come and places a
crucifix into the hands of dying Francis. On 3rd December, early in the
morning, at the young age of 46, Francis Xavier sleeps forever in the peace of
Christ.