In 1506 in Spain, Francis Xavier was born the youngest of a noble family. He studied at the University of Paris to prepare for service in the church. Though he was a Catholic, he was attracted to the young Protestant faith because of their anti-Roman ways. Eventually he settled with the Catholic religion and was one of the first to help Ignatius Loyola form the Society of Jesus to reform the Roman Catholic Church.
The Protestant movement then was not interested in foreign missions. By staying with the Catholic faith, Xavier become the first great Christian missionary to Asia and one of the most effective of all time. In ten years, he baptized 700,000 souls. He poured his life into his pioneer missionary work for his love for the people and Christ.
In 1539 Pope Paul III ordained a new order of Jesuit priests. Xavier immediately joined and left for India in April, 1541, a trip that took 13 months. When he landed in Goa, a Portuguese region, he was welcomed enthusiastically by a crowd. Barefoot and in rags, he went right to work in the hospital, washing lepers’ sores. He wanted to minister to all people.
During his first year, Xavier learned the language, preached, cared for the sick, and translated his catechism. He treaded the village streets, ringing a bell to call the children and others to come to listen. He loved to be with the children, to teach them the Apostle's Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer.
Within one month, over 10,000 were baptized. Xavier set about making provisions for their instruction and worship. He established a college in Goa so that the native young people could be trained as missionaries themselves in their country.
One man named Anjiro baptized in Goa was Japanese and took the name Paul. In 1549, Paul and Xavier set out to bring Christianity to Japan. The first Europeans (Portuguese in illegal trade with China) had traveled to Japan by accident in 1542 and had brought some Christianity to Japan. Xavier was the first formal missionary. The Japanese were interested in Xavier's teachings about the Creator because Buddhism had no idea of a purposeful creation. The love and concern Xavier showed the individual Japanese influenced them as much as his words. Hundreds were baptized, including samurai students and Buddhist priests. In two years, the Christian community had grown to 2,000.
After three years, Xavier moved to Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. He continued to oversee the growing Christian missions.
While in Japan, Xavier noticed the Japanese considered China as the mother of all civilizations. If China would become Christian, then the conversion of Japan seemed even more possible. Xavier returned to Goa and prepared for a mission to China. The authorities in Goa tried to dissuade him because of the hostility of the Chinese to Europeans.
In April, 1552, Xavier sailed for China. He reached the island of Santian near Canton and applied to enter China. He got a fever and died.
In 1622 he was canonized a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. He is known as the Patron Saint of the Orient, Missions, and Navigators.
Where He Leads Me