Francis Xavier (Javier, 7 April 1506 - Sancian Island, 3 December 1552) - Patron of our Xaverian congregation - was a Spanish Jesuit and missionary, proclaimed a saint in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV. He was a pioneer of the spread of Christianity in Asia, as a representative of the Portuguese monarchy. In 1927 he was proclaimed Patron of the missions together with Saint Therese of Lisieux.

“His extremely intense activity was always combined with prayer, with mystical and contemplative union with God… The love of Christ was the force that pushed him to the furthest borders” (Pope Francis, 17 May 2023) .

In this activity we discover some of his words written to his Jesuit brothers in Europe.