The Life And Legend Of St. Francis Xavier

The Sacristy of São Roque is important, both symbolically and artistically, for being one of the earliest sacristies constructed by the Sociaty of Jesus, conceived in line with the liturgical. recommendations emanating from the Council of Trent Church sacristies took on the added function os "art galleries" for the edification of the faithful. The Jesuits of São Roque werw in the forefront of this devellopment.In the sacristy are two large valuable 17 century chests of drawers made of jacaranda and of rose wood overlaidwith ebony and inlaid with ivory. The walls are almost completely covered with threerows of valuable paintings laid out in superimposed friezes up the vaulted ceiling.The ceiling of the sacrity composed of a round vault divided into coffers decorated with 17 century frescos wich contain emblems with Biblical symbols alluding to the Virgin Mary, later integrated into a "Litany os the Virgin".

In the sacristy are two large valuable 17 century chests of drawers made of jacaranda and of rose wood overlaidwith ebony and inlaid with ivory. The walls are almost completely covered with threerows of valuable paintings laid out in superimposed friezes up the vaulted ceiling.The lowest row of twenty paintings, considered to be the most important, recounts incidents and miracles in the life of St. Francis Xavier, especially his travels to the Far East. They were executed by the 17 century Portuguese Manneirist painter André Reinoso (ca.1590-after 1641) and his collaborators.The middle row dating back to the 18 century is attributed to André Gonçalves (1687-1762). It depicts various stages of the Passion of Christ interlaced with allegoric paintings captioned with Biblical passags. These pieces were old processional banners, commisioned in 1761 by the House of Charity of Lisbon from Gonçalves; later on they were taken apart and arranged as pictures in the sacristy. In the upper frieze the paintings are of scenes from the life of St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus. They came here from the now-defunct Jesuit novitiate at Cotovia and are attributed to Domingos da Cunha, the "Cabrinha".

The scene features one of the activities of the saint in Venice, namely attending the sick and dying during his short stay in Venice in 1537. In the scene St. Francis Xavier is sitting hearing the confession of a sick man, while friends and relatives watch with emotion and respect.

The painting shows one of the first miracles attributed to St. Francis Xavier shortly after he arrived in Goa (1542). The scene takes place before the altar of Our Lady where many faithful are gathered in prayer for the sick.

The painting features the saint explaining the Christian Cross to the native population of the Malabar coast, after the initial conversion of the Paravas fishermen. Legend tells that about ten thousand villagers in that region were baptized by St. Francis Xavier.

Reinoso portrays the saint saying Mass at the Church of St. Paul in Goa, the first Jesuit church in the Orient. St. Francis Xavier is giving Communion to a congregation of Portuguese noblemen and Indian natives in front of a mannerist altar decorated with a beautiful altar frontal.

 

According to the biographer the scene must have happened when St. Francis Xavier visited the tomb of the Apostle Thomas in Melliapor (India east coast) and stayed there for a spiritual retreat. Here the saint is brutally tempted by demons while at the same time implores the help to Our Lady.

The scene shows a truly historical event, namely the naval battle against the Achenese pirates on 4th December 1547, in the sea of Malacca. The painting features St. Francis Xavier giving blessing to Portuguese soldiers just before they sail out to the open sea to repel the invaders from attacking Malacca.

The scene presents one of the famous miracles recorded by the Xaverian biographer João de Lucena. When the missionary travelled across the Moluccan Islands, namely from the Amboin Island to the Ceram Island to visit Portuguese Christians, all of a sudden the ship was tossed by huge waves and the missionary lost his crucifix. But when the torment subsided and the passengers could come ashore, he was stunned to find the cross in the beach held by a crab.

The painting shows St. Francis Xavier travelling across Japan, after he landed in Kagoshima in 1549.

Here he is accompanied by his favourite Japanese disciple and interpreter Anjiro, who helped him to approach the Japanese natives. The missionary departed from Malacca in July 1549 together with two Jesuit companions, Fr. Cosme de Torres and Juan Fernandes Oviedo.

The scene happened likely during his stay at the court of Daimio Fu-Tcheu, the modern Funai (today Oita) the capital of Bungo, in September 1551. The Daimio of Bungo would be one of the first converts to Christian faith and there upon a powerful protector of the Jesuit missionaries.

The scene represents the death of St. Francis Xavier at the Chinese island of Sanchon (or Sanchian) on 3rd December 1552, at a small shackle of local fishermen, while he was awaiting permission to land in the mainland China. The saint is shown giving his last breath, uttering the word Jesus, while receiving the vision of Heaven.