Saint Francis Xavier (April 7, 1506 - December 2, 1552) was a miraculous, pioneer Roman Catholic missionary of the modern times and co-founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit Order). Francis Xavier was born in the castle of Xavier, in the Kingdom of Navarre, (modern Spanish Javier, Basque Xabier) near Sanguesa and Pamplona, in Navarre, Spain, on April 7, 1506, according to a family register. He was born to an aristocratic family of the Kingdom of Navarre, the youngest son of Juan de Jaso, privy counselor to King John III of Navarre (Jean d'Albret), and Doña Maria de Azpilcueta y Aznárez, sole heiress of two noble Navarrese families. He was thus related to the great theologian and philosopher Martín de Azpilcueta.

At the age of 19, Francis Xavier went to study at the University of Paris, where he received a license in arts in 1530. He furthered his studies there in theology and became acquainted with Ignatius Loyola. Along with Ignatius Pierre Favre and four others, Xavier was one of those who on August 15, 1534, bound themselves by a vow at Montmartre and formed the Society of Jesus. Francis Xavier devoted much of his life to missions to remote countries.

Francis Xavier accomplished a great deal of missionary work, both as organizer and as pioneer. He had high qualifications as a missionary, being animated with glowing zeal and endowed with great linguistic gifts. His activity was marked by restless pushing forward. Francis Xavier's work initiated permanent change in eastern Indonesia, and he was known as the 'Apostle of the Indies.' From 1546-1547, he worked in the Maluku Islands among the people of Ambon, Ternate, and Morotai, and laid the foundations for a permanent mission.

His efforts left a significant impression upon the missionary history of India and by pointing out the way to east India to Jesuits, his work is of fundamental significance with regard to the history of the propagation of Christianity. India still has numerous Jesuit missions, and many more schools named after his footprint and name. On November 21, he fainted after celebrating a mass. He died from a fever at Shangchuan Island, China, on December 2, 1552, at the age of 46, without having reached China, while waiting for a boat that would agree to take him to the mainland.

St. Francis Xavier requested the foundation of the Goa Inquisition, but he never saw it happen; it commenced eight years after his death. On December 11, 1553, Xavier's body was shipped to Goa. Saint Francis Xavier's relics are kept in a silver casket inside the Bom Jesus Basilica, and are exposed (being brought to ground level) generally every ten years, but this is discretionary. The last exposition was held in 2004 for about one month during December. The next exposition is said to be planned for the year 2014. Bones of Saint Francis Xavier are also found in the Espirito Santo (Holy Spirit) Church, Margão, and in the San Fransiku Xavierachi Igorz (Church of St. Francis Xavier), Batpal, Canacona, Goa.