Xavier, zav'e ur, FRANCISCO (1506-1552), now spelled Javier, a missionary and saint of the Roman Catholic Church, usually styled the "Apostle of the Indies." He was a native of northern Spain, the son of a nobleman whose family seat was Xavier. He was sent to Paris to be educated, and with Loyola he founded the Society of Jesus. In the early part of 1540, he was chosen for the mission of India. From Goa, where he arrived in May, 1542, he extended his labors southward to Ceylon, Malacca and Celebes. He spent two years in Japan and returned to Goa to organize a mission to China, but before he could overcome the difficulties in his way, he died. Xavier was canonized in 1619, and in 1747 Benedict XIV declared him the Protector of India.