Francis was born on 7th April 1506 to Don Juan De Jassu and Maria De Alpilcueta
among the band of seven brothers and sisters. Francis, whose ambition lay rather
in becoming a distinguished scholar and doctor of philosophy, or following an ecclesiastical
career in his native Navarre (Spain), where his father was the President of the
royal council.
But at the famed University of Paris he fell under the spell of St. Ignatius of
Loyola, who during two years of companionship never ceased to admonish him: 'What
does it profit a man to gain the whole world, if he suffers the loss of his soul'.
These golden words by Ignatius changed him completely and along with St Ignatius
and other companions they laid the foundation of the Society of Jesus. At only a
day's notice, Francis set out for God in Indies, in 1542. Francis buried himself
learning the local language, nursing the sick, preaching and teaching catechism.
Ten years of missionary labour had taken Francis into over 50 kingdoms, enabling
him to win almost a million of souls for God. He succumbed to fever on his way to
China on Sancianisland on 3rd December, 1552. In 1553 his body was found incorrupt
and fresh. Till date his body is preserved and venerated in BomJesu Basilica at
Goa.
St. Francis Xavier was beatified in 1619 and canonized by Pope Gregory XV on 12th
March, 1622.