Our Founder St. Ignatius of Loyola
Francis Xavier, SJ (born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta; Latin: Franciscus Xaverius; Basque: Frantzisko Xabierkoa; French: François Xavier; Spanish: Francisco Javier; Portuguese: Francisco Xavier; 7 April 1506 - 3 December 1552), venerated as Saint Francis Xavier, was a Navarrese Catholic missionary and saint who was a co-founder of the Society of Jesus.
He was a friend of Ignatius of Loyola and one of the first seven Jesuits to take vows of poverty and chastity at Montmartre, Paris, in 1534. He was born in Javier (Xavier in Old Spanish and Navarro-Aragonese, or Xabier, a Basque word meaning "new house"). He was a key figure in evangelization activity, especially in early modern India, and oversaw a significant mission into Asia, focusing on the Portuguese Empire in the East. He played a significant role in the religious work in Portuguese India. In a message to the Portuguese King, John III, in 1546, Francis Xavier suggested the creation of the Goan Inquisition. Some sources state that he actually requested a special minister whose sole responsibility it would be to advance Christianity in Goa, but other sources dispute this claim. Additionally, he was the first Christian missionary to travel to Borneo, the Maluku Islands, and other locations.
He encountered resistance and struggled to acquire the local languages in those places, which led to less success than in India. When Xavier passed away on Shangchuan Island, he was just about to expand his mission to Ming China. On 25 October 1619, Pope Paul V beatified him, and on 12 March 1622, Pope Gregory XV canonised him. He became a co-patron of Navarre in 1624. He is regarded as one of the best missionaries since Paul the Apostle and is known as the "Apostle of the Indies," "Apostle of the Far East," "Apostle of China," and "Apostle of Japan."
In the "Apostolicorum in Missionibus" decree issued by Pope Pius XI in 1927, Francis Xavier and Thérèse of Lisieux were jointly named as co-patronesses of all overseas missions. Together with Fermin, he is now Navarre's co-patron saint. Francis Xavier died on December 3, and Navarre, Spain, commemorates his passing on December 3 with the Day of Navarre.