Francis Xavier was born to a wealthy family in Spain on 7th April 1506. Francis Xavier entered the Collège de Sainte–Barbe, Paris in the year 1525. During his final year of college, he met Ignatius of Loyola who was 15 yrs older than Xavier and had a similar background, but had decided to pursue a spiritual life. It was Ignatius's influence and guidance that brought about a spiritual awakening in Francis Xavier that changed his life forever.
At a small chapel at "Montmartre” on 15th August 1534, Francis Xavier, Ignatius Loyola and others took a vow of chastity, charity and to devote their life to the spread of Christianity. On 24th June 1537, Francis Xavier was ordained as a priest and a year later, Francis Xavier was appointed by the King of Portugal to evangelize the people of the East Indies and on 7th April 1541 he sailed for India and landed at Goa on 6th May 1542. Francis Xavier spent 3 years here spreading Christianity. In early 1545 Xavier started out for the East Indies and over the years he preached Christianity in Malacca , Molucca Islands and Japan and returned back to Goa.
In April 1552, he left Goa for China with a plan to spread Christianity and finally arrived at Shangchuan Island off the coast of China. It was here while waiting to travel to mainland china that Francis Xavier got terribly sick and breathed his last.
A Chinese convert Anthony who had accompanied him from Goa organized a simple burial at a beach on the island of Shangchuan and had filled the coffin with lime in order to consume the flesh and leave only the bare bones in case anyone should come later on and take the body back to India. When the ship was ready to leave the island of Shangchuan, Anthony asked the ship's Captain if the body of Xavier should be inspected to see if it had already decayed as it was over three months since his burial. A seaman was then sent to check and he found the body intact. It had not decayed at all. It was decided to take the body back to Malacca. The ship arrived at Malacca on 22nd March 1553. The body was buried at Malacca in a rock cut grave and filled with mud. It is said that five months later a dear friend of Xavier wished to see his body one last time and then dug out his body in the middle of the night. He too found the body intact. Deciding that it was a miracle, he secretly hid it in a coffin. This news of the "Incorrupt body of Francis Xavier" eventually reached the Viceroy of Goa and he ordered its return to Goa.
The ship carrying his body made its final voyage to Goa and arrived at Goa on 16 March 1554. It was taken in a procession to the College of St Paul where it was on display for three days. Francis Xavier was canonized in 1622. He has since then been known as St Francis Xavier and became Goa's Patron Saint or "Goencho Saib".His body is enshrined in a glass container encased in a silver casket at the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa.The feast of St. Francis Xavier is celebrated on 3rd December.
