Francis Xavier

On August15, 1549 Francis Xavier and his companions reached Kagoshima. Now it is known that Xavier visited here to evangelize Christianity in the 16th century from Portugal. However most of Japanese people did not know the fact till the early part of the Meiji Era.

Francis Xavier was born in the Xavier Castle of Navarre in Spain in 1506. The castle had a chapel where priests always lived .His father, Juan came from a good family and was trusted by the King of Navarre and held an important position of the Cabinet. His mother was also a lady from a good family who was a Catholic as her husband.

He was a Basque whose character was proud, independent and obstinate. They said that Xavier was a bright and clever boy when he was small. He had led a happy life with his parents until the surroundings of Xavier's family were changed by the defeat of the war against Spain.

The king of Basque and Xavier's father died in the fist of anger on the way of exile to a country. The patriotic group was organized and waged a war against Spain but was defeated.

As a result Navarre was annexed to Spain and the territory of the Xavier's family was sold by auction when Xavier was ten.

Among the group was Ignatius Loyola, who founded the Society of Jesus. During the war he was seriously wounded in the leg and was taken to his native place. In 1524 the war came to an end and Xavier's two brothers came back from the battlefield.

After his father death he studied Latin from an authority on canon. Then he went to Paris at the age of 20 and became acquainted with Pedro Faber, pious Christian and Ignatius Loyola who influenced Xavier's spiritual life much. In 1534 Xavier joined the Society of Jesus to follow Ignatius Loyola as his mentor. In those days the Reformation swept over whole the Continent, and the Catholic Church were criticized by the Protestants.

In 1540 Paul third formally gave Ignatius Loyola the permission to found the Society of Jesus. In 1542 Xavier was ordered to go to Goa to evangelize but Xavier did not accept the spare things provided by the Roman Catholic Church only to carry some clothes against cold and some books with him.

He said, "The reason why Christianity fell down on the ground and was in the miserable situation was because of gaining prestige and authority.

We must wash our clothes and dry by ourselves. We have to try to save the souls of our fellows without borrowing the hands of others".

In April of 1541 Xavier left Lisbon for Mozambique and five months later arrived there. He witnessed the scene that Portuguese treated Negroes like some articles and was greatly shocked. Some time he got sick because of taking care of sick people in addition to missionary work. Though Portugal made a monopoly of the trade in Asia, Portuguese had to fight against Muslims. Xavier met John Dulpket, priest of the Society of Jesus and promised to follow his direction. Until 1549 he engaged himself in missionary work in India, Ceylon and Malacca.

In 1543 a Portuguese ship reached the island of Tanegashima. It was then that guns were brought from the Western Country. Portuguese who stayed along the seaside of China came to Japan in great numbers.

Xavier saw Anjiro and his companions from Kagoshima in Malacca. Anjiro in the latter half of 30 could speak some Portuguese and became a member of the Society of Jesus to help Xavier with the missionary work. On April 15,1549 Xavier and his fellows including Anjiro arrived in the Bay of Kagoshima welcome by the people of Kagoshima. In September of the same year he began to preach in the precinct ground of a temple. Ninxit, priest of the temple became friends with Xavier and was impressed with Xavier's visit to Japan to evangelize. Xavier, who studied Japanese during winter made a remarkable progress and translated the principle of Christianity into easy Japanese. He read the principle of Christianity to people in the hall of the temple twice a day. The believers increased gradually and amounted to one hundred people. Xavier, a practical minded man recommended the Portuguese Government trade with Japan.

After one year's stay in Kagoshima Xavier went to Hirado, where Takanobu Matsuura shrewd of business was the daimyo. He decided to go up to Kyoto to see Shogunate and had many bitter experiences on his way. One day of a cold winter pebbles were thrown at him and his companions by mischievous boys. They were refused to put up at an inn but they did not get pessimistic thanks to the blessing of the God. Xavier and his companions reached Yamaguchi, southern district of the Main Island where Ouchi clan was a strong ruler. Xavier preached Christianity to people in the street. He started to be known as "The Apostle of India " to people and was invited to their houses. As he could not convince Yoshitaka Ouchi by the principle of Christianity, he left Yamaguchi for Kyoto.

He received Yoshiteru Ashikaga, the 13th Shogunate in audience in Kyoto, only to be disappointed with the Shogunate's demand of gifts. He came back to Yamaguchi, center of culture center and presented Yoshitaka Ouchi a lot of gifts including watches, musical instruments, glasses, liquor and pictures. Yoshitaka proposed to give some money to Xavier as the return present. Instead of receiving the money Xavier requested the ruler to permit his missionary work in the city and was given a devastated temple. When Ferdenand was talking, people began to boo and one of them spat his face. He was calm enough to take out his handkerchief out of the pocket and wiped his face slowly, which gave an impression to people there. Xavier explained the natural phenomenon as well as Christianity and gained the support of people.

After his five month stay in Yamaguchi, he returned back to Bungo(Ooita Prefecture). He accepted a letter from Goa for the first time and made up his mind to return back to Goa for a plan. In 1551 he left Bungo for Mallaca ,where Xavier passed away in December of 1552.

Xavier's stay in Japan was not long but his name has been remembered for 400 years among Japanese people. He was the first great evangelist in Japan.