STORY: Francis came from a noble family in Navarre, Spain. While at the University of Paris, he met Ignatius of Loyola. Through this friendship, he discovered a call to the priesthood and later became a great missionary. He is one of the first members of Ignatius’ new order – the Jesuits. He built many churches and brought many to Christianity in Goa, India and Japan. Tirelessly spreading the Gospel message until the end, Francis got sick and died off the coast of China where he was going to be a missionary.

PATRON OF: Catholic missions; African missions; Goa, India; China; missionaries

FEAST DAY: December 3

DATES: 1506 – 1552

SOURCE: St. Francis Xavier at Catholic.org

READ MORE: St. Francis Xavier at Catholic Encyclopedia

Image attribution: Anonymous Russian icon painter (before 1917)Public domain image (according to PD-RusEmpire), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons