Saint Francis Xavier

Ignatius of Loyola

Saint Francis Xavier was born on 7 April 1506 in the Castle of Javier in Navarre in Spain. Unlike his brothers, who embraced a profession of arms, Xavier opted for an ecclesiastic career. He received the tonsure at 16 and in 1525 he traveled to Paris to study at the university.
In Paris he met Ignatius of Loyola with whom he wrote "The spiritual exercises". Xavier also joined his new mentor's group of followers, which would form the foundations of the future Company of Jesus, officially founded in 1540.

Christian faith

Francis Xavier was ordained priest in 1537, arriving three years later at the court of Portuguese King John III, who had appealed to the Pope for missionaries to preach in his colonies around the world. He left for Goa in 1541, where Francis Xavier devoted himself to defending and spreading the Christian faith.

Eastern Missions

Appointed Superior of the Eastern Missions, which extended from the Cape of Good Hope to China, after converting the kings of Quilon and Travancore, Francis Xavier left for the Moluccas islands in 1545, where he continued his missionary work. Later he organized several Christian communities in Japan.

Goa

His next objective on returning to Goa was to evangelize the people of China, however he failed to sail with the fleet that was to take him to Shangchuan island near Macao, from where Francis Xavier hoped to reach the Chinese coast. In the meantime Xavier proceeded on another ship, arriving on Shangchuan in 1552. But he would never fulfil his ambition. He fell gravely ill in November and died on 3rd December.

Francis Xavier was beatified by Pope Paul V

Francis Xavier was beatified by Pope Paul V in 1619, and canonized by Gregory XV three years later. His corpse was removed to Goa in 1654, where it has been an object of worship ever since. The remains of Francis Xavier are housed in the Basílica do Bom Jesus in Old Goa and exposed every ten years for veneration by devotees of the Apostle of the Indies.

Stamp in detail

Issue: Portugal 5 April 2006
500th Anniversary of the Birth of Saint Francis Xavier
Designer: José Brandão / Teresa Olazabal Cabral
Perforation: 12 x 12
Stamp size: 40 x 30,6 mm
Print: offset by INCM

More information

Stamps of Portugal
Postage Stamps 2006