Question 38 from UPSC CSE 2021 - Current Affairs

Question

Consider the following statements:
1. St. Francis Xavier was one of the founding members of the Jesuit Order.
2. St. Francis Xavier died in Goa and a church is dedicated to him there.
3. The Feast of St. Francis Xavier is celebrated in Goa each year.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. 1 and 3 only

Strategy: Verify each statement against known facts. Confirm St. Francis Xavier as a Jesuit co-founder (Statement 1 is correct). Identify his place of death as Shangchuan Island, not Goa (Statement 2 is incorrect). Acknowledge the annual feast in Goa (Statement 3 is correct). Select the option with Statements 1 and 3.

Key Info: **St. Francis Xavier: Missionary and Co-founder of the Jesuits**

- St. Francis Xavier (1506–1552) was a Spanish Catholic missionary and a co-founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit Order) in 1540, alongside Ignatius of Loyola and Peter Faber.
- His missionary work, beginning with his arrival in Goa in 1542, was pivotal in establishing Jesuit missions across India, Southeast Asia, and East Asia.
- He died of fever on 3 December 1552 on Shangchuan Island, off the coast of China, not in Goa.
- His body was transported to Goa in 1553 and enshrined in the Basilica of Bom Jesus, a major pilgrimage site and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- The Feast of St. Francis Xavier is celebrated annually in Goa on December 3rd, commemorating his death.
- While his tomb is in Goa and a site of veneration, it is not the location of his death.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: 1 and 2 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option B: 2 and 3 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: 1, 2, and 3

Consider the following statements: St. Francis Xavier was one of the founding members of the Jesuit Order. St. Francis Xavier died in Goa and a church is dedicated to him there. The Feast of St. Francis Xavier is celebrated in Goa each year. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Consider the following statements:

St. Francis Xavier was one of the founding members of the Jesuit Order.

St. Francis Xavier died in Goa and a church is dedicated to him there.

The Feast of St. Francis Xavier is celebrated in Goa each year.
Which of the statements given above are correct?