Understanding the Spread of Christianity in India

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St. Francis Xavier: Letter on the Missions, to St. Ignatius de Loyola, 1549
Introduction
St. Francis Xavier: Letter on the Missions, to St. Ignatius de Loyola, 1549 was written by St. Francis Xavier to St. Ignatius de Loyola in Rome (Coleridge 6). St. Ignatius of Loyola, a Spanish priest, created the Society of Jesus Christ in 1540, also known as Jesuits, a Catholic Church all-male organization (St. Ignatius de Loyola). Jesuits were individuals of the Society of Jesus Christ, and Christian doctrines and beliefs were practically similar. On the other hand, the Jesuits were a religious order formed to propagate Christianity by whichever reasonable means. As a Portuguese Jesuit missionary, St. Francis Xavier journeyed to India, Malacca, Japan, China, and other Asian nations. In 1547, he went on a mission to Goa, India's westernmost city. Xavier originated from civilization with no contact with Goa's indigenous people of India (Coleridge 6). Between Xavier and his intended targets, there was a significant linguistic barrier. Even though he was able to interact with potential converts and conquer the communication barriers, he could not successfully transmit his ideas and beliefs to the indigenous people. In a letter to St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1549, St. Francis Xavier expressed his fears regarding his ministry to Goa. I selected this text to understand the spread of Christianity in India. This paper will discuss this primary source and show how it relates to broader concepts and historical processes addressed in the course.
Relevance of the text
The importance of this letter was to show St. Ignatius of Loyola the challenges he (St. Xavier) was facing in spreading Christianity in the Goa region of India. Without this letter, the pursuits and efforts of St. Xavier would never have been known, and his works and contribution would never have been appreciated. Although he puts forth his intentions of going to Japan to spread Christianity, he shows that he has tried to spread Christianity to the region. The letter depicts the Catholic church's humility, peace, and patience. The letter shows how St. Xavier and other missionaries dedicated their lives to the good faith of the church and how the church put efforts into countering the negativity faced by the natives at the time. Despite the harsh environment St. Xavier encountered, he was one of the people to spread Christianity in the region, and the religion stuck in the area. Christianity is still used today in the Goa region of India (Pinto 15). The letter also shows how the Portuguese were masters and pioneers of trade in the region. In the letter, St. Xavier acknowledges that the Portuguese were masters of the sea and the coast, implying their trade superiority in the area.
The historical significance of the text
St. Xavier's expedition did not proceed as planned; he rapidly discovered that the Indian inhabitants were hostile to him and his faith. "The entire race of Indians, as far as I have been able to observe, is very barbarous; and it does not want to listen to anything that is not suited to its manners and customs, which, I repeat, are barbarous," he wrote in a letter to St. Ignatius of Loyola (Coleridge 10). Instead of sp...