XAVIER. Francis Xavier was born 7th April 1506, in Castle Xavier, at the feet of the Pyren noes, about 21 miles from Pampeluna, and derived his pedigree from the kings of Navarre. At college he became acquainted with Ignatius Loyola; and, as Father Francisco Xavier, he was a joint founder, with Loyola, of the order of Jesuits, and after his death was canonized by the Romish Church. Jesuit Christians have been the most politic of all proselyte makers. Everywhere theirs has been a career at least of temporary triumph, in China, India, and the rogions of the South Pacific. Ile sailed for the east on the 7th April 1541, and, after a stay of six montlis at 241oram bique, he landed at Goa on the 6th May 1542. In April 1549 he embarked at Goa for Japan, sailing to the region of the further east with his Bible, t,o preach the gospel in the name of the Supreme Church. Xavier quitted Japan for China in 1551, and on the 14th April 1552 he again sailed from Goa for Malacca. He died on the 2d of December 1552, at Shan-Shan, on the Canton river, not far from Macao. The coffin was afterwards taken to Malacca and then to Goa.
In 1547, the salvation Of Malacca from the Achinese was ascribed to the sudden appearance of Saint Francis Xavier, who was then on his pilgrimage through the east, and had recently made 600 or 700 converts ainong the pearl fishers of Manaar. At the period of his arrival, Malacca
was threatened by a formidable invasion from the opposite island of Sumatra which was delayed, though not abandoned. He visited Ternate in 1546. .He afterwards returned to Malacca, and visited Japan between the years 1547 and 1549, and by his efforts the Christian religion was fairly established in Japan by 1550 ; but in the year 1597 their persecutions began, and numbers, variously stated at from 300,000 to 1,000,000, were massacred and hurled from rocks. , He was successful in his mission amona the Paravar fishermen of the Tinnevelly coast.' °They had received protection from the Portuguese ag,ainst the oppression' of the Muhammadans, and many of them had already become Christians, but Xavier completed the work, and they acknow ledge themselves his children or disciples. — MacFarlane's Japan ; St. John's Ind. Arch.; Hough, Christianity in India ; Abbe du Bois ; Bik.
Padre Geronimo Xavier, author of a work, The Mirror'of Holiness, a. Life of the Messiah, written at the request of the emperor Akbar. He was a relative of St. Francis Xavier.