Born April 7, 1506,
Sangüesa, Spain
Died December 3, 1552,
Shanq-ch’uan, China

Francis Xavier was born in his family’s castle of Xavier near the town of Sangüesa in the Basque country of northem Spain on April 7, 1506. His father, Juan de Jasso, was the president of the council in the court of the king of Navarre. Xavier grew up in Navarre, where he also received his early education. In 1525 he went to study at the University of Paris; he graduated with a master of arts degree in 1530, then lectured at one of the colleges of the university. While at the university Francis Xavier became an associate of Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, or the Jesuits. Xavier took the vows of poverty and chastity in August 1534; he studied theology until 1536 when he went to Venice, Italy, to be...