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Saint Francis Xavier, SJ (1506-1552)
Patron Saint of Missions

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Scott C503 Scott  647 
COLOMBIA, 1968, the 39th Eucharistic Congress in Bogota, Scott C503
based on Gregorio Vasquez's painting of Xavier preaching
INDIA, 1974, showing the sarcophagus and statue of the saint, Scott 647, and its FDI cancel
Xavier's sarcophagus crowns a marble monument, the gift of Cosmo III of Tuscany and executed by J.B.Foggini


Scott 607 André Reinoso's painting (1619), St. Francis Xavier Calming a Storm at Sea
MACAO
, 1989, a mini sheet honoring Portuguese influence in Asia pictured Xavier on one of its stamps, Scott 607,
based on André Reinoso's painting (1619), St. Francis Xavier Calming a Storm at Sea,
which is at the Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Lisboa / Museu de São Roque, Lisbon, Portugal

Scott 753  Scott 901F
PANAMA
, Christmas of 1988, Scott 753
This painting by an unknown master shows The Virgin with Ignatius to the left and Xavier to the right.
BOLIVIA, Christmas of 1993, Xavier is at the bottom right in this painting of the Virgin and Child with Saints, Scott 901F

Scott 1779h 
ST VINCENT & GRENADINES, 1993, a bicentennial of the Louvre souvenir sheet, Scott 1779h
(one of very many issued by various countries in the same format)
shows this detail from Poussin's The Miracle of St. Francis Xavier (also shown)

In 1641 Poussin received a commission from Sublet de Noyers, Superintendent of the Royal Factories of Louis XIII, to paint a great picture for the high altar of the Jesuit Novitiate. It is, in fact, the largest work executed by Poussin: Saint Francis Xavier returning to the life the daughter of an inhabitant of Kagoshima in Japan. Near the saint, the Jesuit brother Juan Fernández (also seen in the stamps below), moved by the miracle, falls to his knees and lifts his face to the sky. Each member of the family shows a different feeling: pain, gratitude, surprise.

Scott 705 Scott 1965
The 450th anniversary of the arrival of Portuguese in Japan
MACAO, 1993, Scott 705, and PORTUGAL, 1993, Scott 1965

These religious are presumably the three Jesuit missionaries: St. Francis Xavier, Brother Juan Fernández, and Father Cosme de Torres, who left together from Goa for Japan on 17 April, 1549. They reached Japan on July 27, 1549 but went ashore at the city of Kagoshima in Japan only on 15 August 1549.Interestingly, the postmark below marks the 400th anniversary of his arrival in Japan on May 25, 1949 (the 24th year of the Showa Era), the same date that General Douglas MacArthur made a statement in Tokyo "on the 400th anniversary of St. Francis Xavier's pilgrimage to Japan."

Scott 1324
VATICAN, 16 March 2006, the triple Jesuit Jubilee year, Scott 1324

Scott 2808 

Scott 2906 Scott 2807
PORTUGAL, 2006, the 500th anniversary of Xavier's birth: two individual stamps and a souvenir sheet, Scott 2806-08
The Indians are portrayed as North American Indians, a common error at one time.

Scott 1259 
COLOMBIA, 2006, the 500th anniversary of Xavier's birth, Scott 1259
beside the statue of Xavier is the entrance to the Pontifical Xaverian University in Bogotá,
the inscription over the door reads 1623 Sapientia aedificavit sibi domum (Wisdom has built herself a house)

Scott 2771 André Reinoso, The Miracle of Saint Francis Xavier (1619)
ITALY, 2006, the 5th centenary of the birth of St. Francis Xavier, Scott 2771
with details from André Reinoso, The Miracle of Saint Francis Xavier (1619)
at the Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Lisboa / Museu de São Roque, Lisbon, Portugal

The design on this Italian stamp is inspired by Reinoso's painting to its right. The painting illustrates a legendary miracle: St. Francis raising a dead person to life in Sri Lanka. As with the companion stamp of St. Ignatius, the design represents the saint with two others while ignoring other elements of the original, including here the deceased.

Scott 3460 a 19th-century Japanese painting of Xavier arriving in Kagoshima Scott 3049d
SPAIN, 2006, the 500th anniversary of Xavier's birth, Scott 3460
Spain used the Salaverría painting as it did in 1952.
In the background is a 19th-century Japanese painting of Xavier arriving in Kagoshima
(the editing has cleverly concealed the stain on the original).
PHILIPPINES, 2006, the 50th anniversary of Xavier School in the Philippines and the 500th of Xavier's birth, Scott 3049d
The stamp shows a bronze statue of Xavier by Virginia Ty-Navarro cast to mark the school's 20th year on its San Juan campus

Scott 1206   Scott 1209
MACAO, 2006, the Society of Jesus issue, Scott 1206, 1209
With its “Society of Jesus” issue of 4 stamps and a souvenir sheet containing a fifth, Macao marked various anniversaries, including the 500th anniversary of the birth of St. Francis Xavier, the first Jesuit to set foot on Chinese soil, even if he did not reach mainland China for which he was heading. Macao was awarded for this issue the 2007 St. Gabriel Award for the Best Religious Stamps.

personalized label se-tenant with Scott 2426 
AUSTRALIA, 2006, personalized label se-tenant with an Australian stamp, Scott 2426
sponsored by Xavier College, Melbourne, Victoria to celebrate the Three Companions Jubilee of 2006.
The label shows two views of the school and two images of Xavier.
THE PHILIPPINES, 2008, the 75th anniversary of Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro City,
also featuring a statue of Xavier on the grounds of the university

Scott 2111


BELGIUM, 2006, two personalized labels, creations of Fr. Roland Francart, SJ, Belgium,
for the Jubilee of Loyola, Xavier, and Faber,
showing them with St. Alberto Hurtado, the seal of the Society and a logo of the Jubilee, one se-tenant with Scott 2111
the second se-tenant with a 2007 stamp (no Scott number)


BELGIUM
, personalized labels created by Fr. Roland Francart, SJ,
for the Jubilee of Loyola, Xavier, and Faber, se-tenant with a 2007 stamp

  
SPAIN, 2007, three personalized stamps (tu sello) designed by Francisco Javier Martínez Malpartida
with a face value of "A" which is the national rate.
They show Xavier taking leave of his family to study in Paris, the Xavier castle and coat of arms,
the portrait of Xavier, and of the King John III of Portugal who send Xavier to the Indies.
There are also envelopes and post cards to accompany these stamps, examples of which are below.


Spanish cinderalla, issued by the Mission Stamp Bureau in Madrid: "Collect stamps for the missions"
This item was printed by Heraclio Fournier, SA, in Vitoria, the Basque country, Spain.
It is based on a painting at Xavier Castle by Brother Martín Coronas, SJ

 
INDIA,
1964, The Twelfth Exposition, November 25, 1964-January 5, 1965, held to coincide with the Eucharist Congress in Mumbai.
SPAIN
, 8 July 1949, air mail special cancel, which coincides with the second Philatelic Exposition at Pamplona; what "III Centenario" is refered to is unclear.

 
SPAIN, 1966 and 1967 , show cancels, Xavier's arm & Xavier preaching

SPAIN, 1987, meter stamp from the Parish of the Sacred Heart & St. Francis Borgia (Los Jesuitas) in Madrid - St. Francis Xavier on his deathbed

  
AUSTRIA, 1990, show cancel, for the 450th anniversary of the Jesuits and the 500th of Ignatius' birth
PORTUGAL, 1991, 450th anniversary of Xavier's passing through Setubal on his way to the East

 
ARGENTINA,
2001, special cancel, Saint Xavier's College (Colegio San Xavier) is a bi-lingual educational institution in Buenos Aires, comprising a Kindergarden (founded in 1979), General Basic Education (6 years), and a Middle School with Intermediate and Senior cycles. It is a secular school with a Catholic education, as evidenced by its name, chosen in honor of St. Francis Xavier.
ITALY
, 2002, 450th anniversary of Xavier's death

 
SPAIN, 2006, special cancels for the 500th anniversary of the birth of Xavier,
celebrated with stamp expositions at Oviedo in December, and at the Xavier castle in Spain in April/May and November/December
showing his portraits by Murillo and Salaverría.

 
SPAIN, 2006, special cancels for the 500th anniversary of the birth of Xavier,
celebrated with a stamp exposition at the Xavier castle in Spain in November/December
showing his portrait his castle and his death (after a painting by Goya).

 
SPAIN, 7 November 2006, FDI cancels for the 5th centenary of Xavier's birth
from Madrid (based on Salaverría's portrait) and Javier-Navarra (based on Murillo's St. Francis Xavier as a Pilgrim).

 
SPAIN, 3 December 2006, the feast of St. Francis Xavier, special Jubilee cancels
from Bergara (Vergara in Spanish), in the Basque Country province of Gipuzkoa
based on the Salaverría portrait.

 

 
ITALY, 2006, FDI cancel to go with Jubilee issue from Rome
ITALY, 2006, show cancel from Cantù to go with the Jubilee issue
JAPAN, 2006, special cancel to honor the Xavier Jubilee showing the ruins of the castle of Funai and a statue of Xavier preaching.
The second line of Japanese characters is "Sabiru" (Xavier) in katakana;
"18.10.6" means October 6, in the 18th year of Heisei (the era of the current Emperor of Japan) or 2006 AD
INDIA, 3 December 2006, special cancel for the 5th centenary of Xavier's birth

  
SPAIN, 1982 and 1991, postmarks from Javier, Navarra
site of the Xavier castle, the birth place of Francis Xavier
SPAIN, 2006, postmark from San Javier in Murcia

   
SPAIN, 1973, postmark from San Javier for the 20th World Military Aeronautical Pentathlon Championship
at the Murcia-San Javier Airport in San Javier, which is primarily military and the home the the Spanish Aeronautical School.
SPAIN, 1976, postmark from San Javier for the 9th Parachuting Championship of the CISM (Conseil INternational de Sport Militaire) at the Murcia-San Javier Airport in San Javier, which is primarily military and the home the the Spanish Aeronautical School.
SPAIN, 1989, in the center the frank of the District Court of San Javier (Murcia)



SPAIN
, postmarked April 7, 2006, the 500th anniversaryof the birth of Francis Xavier from "Sangüesa Javier"
a combination postmark since the town of Sangüesa is about 5 miles from the village and castle of Javier
San Javier, Spain, with a population just over 20,000, is a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Murcia, very near the border with Alicante province, just off the coast of the Mar Menor. It is the location of the San Javier International Airport, a military air base and passenger facility.

   
ARGENTINA, 1922, postmark from San Javier, Misiones Province
ARGENTINA, 2006, postmark from San Javier, Santa Fe Province
ARGENTINA, 2006, cancel from the Municipality of San Javier y Yacanto, Cordoba
CHILE, postmark from San Javier in the Region of Maule

San Javier in the Misiones Province in the NE of Argentina is the capital of the Department of San Javier in that Province. Jesuits founded this San Javier in 1743 as a reduction in the land of the Mocovíes Indians.is on the banks of the San Javier River in Santa Fe Province (SF). Argentina also has a San Javier Department in the Cordoba and Santa Fe Provinces.
San Javier and Yacanto, also in Argentina. is result of the division of the Estancia of Yacanto, at the end of the 17th century. Situated in the valley of Traslasierra, at the foot of Champaquí mountain (2.880 m.) in the Comechingones range, it originated around the chapel of San Francisco Javier of Yacanto.
San Javier, Chile, is a city of 20,000 people located in the wine country.
 
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 2005, postmark from St. Xavier, Montana
URUGUAY, 2006, postmark from San Javier, Uruguay.

San Javier, Uruguay is a town with many Russian emigrants in the Río Negro department. It was founded in 1913, Uruguay's first agriculural colony, by Russians in search of greater religious freedom. It was here the Uruguayan military executed Vladimir Roslik, now a national hero.

St. Xavier, Montana, USA, was officially established as the first mission for the Crow Indians in 1887 by Jesuit missionary, Fr. Peter Paul. Prando, SJ (d. 1906). The church, dedicated to St. Francis Xavier, is still in use and the school, affiliated with the St. Labre Mission School, also continues to operate. More

Xavier as a Patron Saint for Protection Against the Plague

Scott 665
NIUE
, Christmas of 1993, Scott 665

The above stamp is based on Guido Reni's Madonna of the Rosary, a Pallione del Voto or processional banner to protect Bologna from plague. Reni portrayed seven saint protectors of the town, including Xavier, shown to the left of St. Dominic, even though Xavier had only been canonized a few years at the time of the painting.

Dr. Walter Nissel and Wilhelm Remeš reminds us in the recent book Die Jesuiten in der Philatelie that a number of Plague Columns have been erected in honor of the Trinity or of Mary to give thanks for deliverance from the plague. These columns, some of which have been depicted on stamps, contain images of saints especially regarded as protectors against the plague, St. Francis Xavier prominent among them.

Scott 317 Scott 3380 Scott 1443
CZECHOSLOVAKIA,
1946, The Marian Column in Hodonin built in 1716, Scott 317
CZECH REPUBLIC, 2008, The Marian Column in Hradec Králové with a bas relief of Xavier, Scott 3380
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
, 1967, The Marian Column in Jihlava built in 1690, Scott 1443

  Scott 1214 Scott 790
AUSTRIA, 1982, The Trinity Column in Langenlois built in 1713, Scott 1214
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
, 1957, The Marian Column in Moravska Trebova built in 1717, Scott 790

Scott 225 
CZECHOSLOVAKIA, 1936, The Trinity Column in Olomouc, Scott 225
This is a Karl Seizinger engraving which, like that of Boscovich, he signed with a hidden S

Scott 33 Scott 34
BOHEMIA & MORAVIA, 1939, The Trinity Column in Olomouc built in 1716, Scott 33-34

Scott 3178 Scott C41 
CZECH REPUBLIC, 2002, The Trinity Column in Olomouc, Scott 3178
CZECHOSLOVAKIA, 1955, The Trinity Column in Olomouc, Scott C41

Scott 221
SLOVAKIA, 1998, The Trinity Column in Trnava from 1695, with Xavier its left most figure
and the Jesuit Church of the Holy Trinity to the far left, Scott 221

Xavier has also been commemorated in coinage and currency

Pick 71 Pick 71
SPAIN issued a 25 peseta bill in 1926, Pick 71
The design on the reverse on the note continues the Xavier theme with a portrait of the saint baptizing.


KM 697
Courtesy of Don's World Coin Gallery

PORTUGAL issued a 200 escudo coin in 1997 in copper-nickel [Krause-Mishler 697], silver [KM 697a] and gold [KM 697b]

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