St. Francis Xavier (1506-1552) — patron saint of Goa, affectionately called 'Goencho Saib' — was a pioneering Jesuit missionary and co-founder of the Society of Jesus (1540); arrived in Goa in May 1542, founded St. Paul's College in Old Goa, died on Shangchuan Island (1552) while attempting to enter China; canonised by Pope Gregory XV in 1622; remains housed since 1624 in a silver casket at the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa.

Francis Xavier (1506-1552) is revered as the patron saint of Goa, affectionately called 'Goencho Saib' (Lord of Goa) by the local population. He was a pioneering Roman Catholic missionary and one of the co-founders of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).

Birth and noble origins:
- Born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta on 7 April 1506
- Birthplace: Castle of Xavier, Kingdom of Navarre (modern-day Spain)
- Of noble Basque family

Education and spiritual turning point:
- Went to the University of Paris in 1525
- Studied and taught philosophy for eleven years
- Met Ignatius of Loyola — the future founder of the Jesuits — at Paris
- Loyola's persistent question, 'What will it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?', eventually overcame Xavier's initial resistance to religious life

Founding the Jesuits:
- In 1534, Xavier was one of seven students who took vows of poverty and chastity at Montmartre, Paris
- This was the founding event of what became the Society of Jesus
- Society of Jesus formally approved by Pope Paul III in 1540 through the bull Regimini militantis Ecclesiae

Asian missionary journey:
- Appointed first Jesuit missionary
- Travelled extensively: Mozambique → India → Malacca → Maluku Islands → Japan → Borneo
- First major Christian missionary to Borneo and the Maluku Islands
- Led the first Christian mission to Japan

India and Goa:
- Arrived in Goa in May 1542
- Primary mission: restore Christian values among Portuguese settlers and evangelise the local population
- Ministered to the sick, taught children catechism
- Headed St. Paul's College in Old Goa — a pioneer seminary for educating priests in Asia
- Goa was a Portuguese colony at the time (Portuguese conquest 1510 → liberation 19 December 1961, Operation Vijay)

Death and incorruptible remains:
- Died in 1552 on Shangchuan Island (off the coast of southern China) while attempting to enter China
- His body was found exceptionally well-preserved after multiple exhumations and transfers between Malacca and Goa
- Since 1624, his mortal remains have been housed in a silver casket at the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa
- The silver casket is a major Christian pilgrimage destination
- Public expositions of relics held approximately every 10 years

Beatification and canonisation:
- Beatified in 1619 by Pope Paul V
- Canonised by Pope Gregory XV in 1622 — same year as Ignatius of Loyola, Teresa of Ávila, Philip Neri, and Isidore the Farmer
- Often called the 'Apostle of the East' for his pioneering work in Asia
- Co-patron saint of all Catholic missions to non-Christian regions, alongside St. Thérèse of Lisieux

About the Society of Jesus (Jesuits):
- Roman Catholic religious order founded in 1540 by Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, and other companions
- Headquartered in Rome
- Known for emphasis on education, scholarship, and missionary work
- Major Indian Jesuit institutions: St. Xavier's College Mumbai (founded 1869), St. Xavier's College Kolkata (1860), St. Stephen's-related institutions, multiple schools across India
- Pope Francis (2013-2025) was the first Jesuit Pope

About the Basilica of Bom Jesus:
- Located in Old Goa (Velha Goa)
- UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed 1986 as part of 'Churches and Convents of Goa')
- Built between 1594 and 1605
- Houses the silver casket with Xavier's remains since 1624
- Major pilgrimage destination, particularly during the decennial expositions