Missionaries
Explore two forms of missionary service in the sixteenth century: Francis Xavier’s journeys to Asia and Peter Canisius’s teaching across central Europe. Their work included travel, instruction, and care for communities that needed lasting support.
St. Francis Xavier
Feast day: December 3
A Jesuit who taught the faith in India and Japan, forming communities and preparing others to continue the work.
Read the life →St. Peter Canisius
Feast day: April 27
A Jesuit sent to teach and preach across central Europe, whose catechisms helped children and adults learn the faith.
Read the life →
These are selected lives to explore, with a reason for each choice. Each saint’s page includes the story and its sources.