St. Francis Xavier was born in 1506 in Navarre, Spain, the fifth and youngest child of noble, wealthy, and pious parents. He is known as the greatest Roman Catholic missionary of modern times who was instrumental in the establishment of Christianity in India, the Malay Archipelago, and Japan.

Francis grew up in Navarre and received his early education there. As was often the case with younger sons of the nobility, he was destined for an ecclesiastical career, and in 1525, he left home permanently, bound for the University of Paris, the theological center of Europe. While studying in Paris, Ignatius Loyola, a fellow student, became an increasingly important influence on Francis Xavier. They founded the Society of Jesus, whose members are now known as Jesuits, with 5 others. Francis was ordained a priest in 1537. He devoted the rest of his life to missionary work, traveling to many places around the world. He has been credited for his idea that the missionary must adapt to the customs and language of the people he evangelizes, and for his advocation of an educated native clergy – initiatives not always followed by his successors. St. Francis Xavier ranks among the greatest missionaries in Christian history. He was canonized with St. Ignatius in 1622.