Jesuits in India 1

Who ruled northern India during the 15th-16th centuries?

The Mughals

What was the name of the Hindu kingdom in southern India during the same period?

Kingdom of Vijayanagara.

What is significant about Hampi?

It includes the ruins of the Kingdom of Vijayanagara and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Who was the Portuguese explorer that landed in Calicut, India, in 1498?

Vasco da Gama.

What motivated the Portuguese exploration in India?

Desire for spices, converts to Christianity, and the quest for Prester John, a Christian monarch.

What became the capital of the Portuguese in the area from Hormuz to the Spice Islands?

Goa, established in 1510.

Who were the Thomas Christians of East Syria?

A community representing Christianity outside Goa before the Portuguese reforms.

What privilege allowed the Portuguese to correct the practices of the Thomas Christians?

The Padroado privilege, granted by the king of Portugal and the Pope.

Where was St. Francis Xavier born?

Navarre, Spain.

Who was St. Ignatius and how did he influence Francis Xavier?

led Xavier to commit to serving God and living a life of poverty and celibacy.

When and where did Francis Xavier vow his commitment to a religious life?

a chapel on Montmartre in Paris.

What was Francis Xavier's background before studying at the University of Paris?

He was the third son of the president of the council of the king of Navarre, had two sisters, and received early education at the family castle of Xavier.

What significant event involving St. Francis Xavier occurred before his departure to the East?

He was shown kneeling before Pope Paul III.

Where did Xavier board the Santiago in 1541?

At the Lisbon harbor on the River Tagus.

What qualities of Xavier were revealed during his long journey to India?

His charity, joyful spirit, and intense prayerfulness.

What became the center of Xavier's activities after arriving in Goa?

The Royal Hospital, where he tended to the sick and lepers.

What was one of the first stops Xavier made on his way to India?

Mozambique.

What group preceded Xavier's arrival in Mozambique?

Franciscans.

Who did Xavier put in charge of the College of St. Paul?

Fr. Paul of Camerino.

What name were the Jesuits in India commonly known as?

Paulistas.

What was the significance of the pearl fishermen, the Paravas, in Xavier's ministry?

About 20,000 of them had accepted baptism to secure Portuguese support against their enemies.

What did Xavier use to instruct the local converts in their faith?

A small catechism he translated into the Tamil language with the help of interpreters.

Where did Xavier spend much of his next three years after arriving in Goa?

On the southeastern coast of India among the Paravas.

What significant site did Xavier visit in Mylapore?

The tomb of the Apostle Thomas.

After visiting Mylapore, where did Xavier travel next?

Amboina, in the East Indies.

What role did Xavier take on after returning to Goa?

He devoted more time to the administration of the Jesuit province and its works.

How did Xavier learn about the opportunity to go to Japan?

three Japanese youths in Malacca.

Who was the first Jesuit martyr, and where was he killed?

Jesuit Fr. Anthony Criminali, killed on the Fishery east coast of India

Where did Xavier first land in Japan?

Kagoshima.

What realization did Xavier come to about the Japanese during his time there?

The Japanese looked up to Chinese erudite men for inspiration in art, philosophy, and religion.

Who assisted Xavier in his mission in Kagoshima?

A local named Anjiro, who became the first official Japanese Christian, known as Paul of Santa Fe.

What did Xavier express in his first letter from Japan regarding the people?

He referred to the Japanese as “the best people yet discovered” and noted that the land was very well disposed to producing fruit in souls.

What challenge did Xavier face in adapting his missionary methods for the Japanese?

His poverty, which had won over the Paravas in India, often repelled the Japanese.

Who were the daimyo in Japan during Xavier's time?

Powerful feudal and warrior lords subordinate to the shogun and emperor.

What challenges did Xavier face in Japan?

He struggled with a lack of knowledge of the Japanese language and an inaccurate understanding of Japanese Buddhism.

What significant event occurred in Japan in 1614?

The Tokugawa government outlawed Christianity, leading to persecution of Christians.

What was the result of the persecution that began in 1614?

The torture and execution of more than 1,000 Japanese Christians and European missionaries, and the destruction of Christian churches and artworks.

In which Japanese cities did Xavier establish churches?

Kagoshima, Hirado, and Yamaguchi.

How did Xavier ensure the pastoral care of the communities he founded?

He continued to provide care and did not abandon them after baptism, often instructing those baptized hastily by others.

What was the long-term impact of Xavier's evangelization efforts in India and Japan?

The areas he evangelized have remained Catholic despite subsequent persecution

What happened to Xavier's missions in the Moluccas and Japan during the 17th century?

hey were destroyed due to vigorous and prolonged persecution, resulting in thousands of martyrs.

How was Xavier regarded even before his death?

He was considered a saint (Padre Santo) and has been formally venerated by the Catholic Church since 1622.

hat honor was bestowed upon Xavier in 1927?

He was named the patron of all missions.

here did Xavier die?

island of Sancian.

What was Xavier's plan regarding transporting pepper before his death?

He had arranged with a Chinese merchant to transport 353 cruzados worth of pepper, but the merchant did not show up.

What did Xavier write about in his last letter dated November 13?

He mentioned that "the demon is greatly upset that those of the Society of the name of Jesus may be entering into China."

How did one of Xavier's companions describe him after his death?

He looked so happy and fair that one might have thought he was still alive.

How was Xavier's body prepared for burial after his death?

mass vestments with four bags of lime to hasten the destruction of the flesh.

What miraculous event occurred when Xavier's body was exhumed?

His body was found to be miraculously intact ten weeks later.

Where was Xavier's body eventually taken for burial?

It was taken to Goa after being buried temporarily in Melaka.

What Latin phrase did Xavier often repeat?

“Satis est, Domine, satis est,” meaning “It is enough, O Lord, it is enough.

What were Xavier's last words?

“In te Domine speravi, non confundar in aeternum,” meaning “In you, O Lord, have I hoped, let me never be confounded.”

What did Ignatius ask Xavier to do in his letter?

To return to Europe to inform the king of Portugal about the mission and prepare for missions to Ethiopia, the Congo, and Brazil.

What was created for St. Francis Xavier's body

A new silver casket made by Goan silversmiths.

How many silver plates are on the casket, and what do they depict?

There are 32 silver plates depicting different episodes from the life of St. Xavier.

What was erected in Old Goa in 1698 in honor of Xavier?

A magnificent Florentine mausoleum.

What artistic work did Angelo da Fonseca create in St. Xavier’s Church, Pune?

He painted frescoes on the side walls, including one depicting Hindus coming in large numbers drawn by Xavier's preaching.

What method did Xavier use to teach the Christian doctrine to villagers?

He called people together by the sound of a bell, assembled them twice a day, and taught them.

What did Xavier encourage the children he taught to do?

He encouraged them to teach what they had learned to their parents, family, and neighbors.

How did sea voyages affect Jesuit missionaries?

They became an opportunity to prove their missionary abilities and a rite of passage into missionary manhood.

What qualities did Xavier embody as a missionary?

Self-governance, the ability to convert fears into a fear of God, and the pioneering spirit in spreading Christianity.

How was Xavier described in relation to his missionary work?

He was called a "saint in a hurry" and a pathfinder who made missionary plans across the East.

What leadership qualities did Xavier display as Fr. Superior?

He led by example, demonstrating a life of prayer, poverty, zeal, and courage.