Saint Francisco de Borja
His life of humility and the greatness he had renounced caused admiration at the time.
Francisco de Borja y Aragón was born in Gandia (Valencia) on October 28, 1510, the result of the union between Juan de Borja, third Duke of Gandia, and Juana de Aragón. His life is already marked by the lineages from which he descends. By paternal branch that of the Borgia popes and, by maternal branch, that of Ferdinand II of Aragon.
The early death of his mother will influence the spiritual process that will accompany him throughout his life.
After a first period of training in Zaragoza, when he was only 12 years old, he was sent to Tordesillas as a page for the Infanta Catalina, the youngest daughter of Joan la Loca, who is confined with her mother. There he remains from 1522 to 1526, to return to Zaragoza and complete his studies.
In 1528 he leaves for the court of Charles V. Francisco is seventeen years old. A year later he married Leonor de Castro, one of the ladies-in-waiting of Empress Isabella. After the wedding he is named Marquis of Llombay and Chief Equestrian of the Empress. Leonor, on her part, is appointed Chamberlain Mayor. The Borja marriage becomes the shadow of the Empress Isabella. In the court of Toledo, Francisco closes the relationship with Charles V, with whom he will forge a close friendship.
On May 1, 1539, the empress died. Charles V is dejected and Francisco is in charge of transferring her remains to Granada. The funeral procession takes 16 days to reach the city. The stench given off by the coffin and the disfigured image of the adored Isabella produce a great emotional and spiritual impact on Francisco.
Soon after, Charles V named him Viceroy of Catalonia, rewarding him for ten years in the service of the Crown.
On January 8, 1543, his father died and Francisco renounced the viceroyalty to become the IV Duke of Gandia.
His wife died in 1546 and Francisco, who had already had contact with the Jesuits since the time of the Viceroyalty, intensified his spiritual life. That same year he makes the votes of the company with a code name to keep his identity secret. Ignatius of Loyola has advised against disclosing his purpose, since "the world has no ears to hear such a din."
After obtaining a degree in Theology in 1550, the time had come to make his decision public. At the age of 39, he leaves his land and his family on August 31 and leaves for Rome.
His arrival in the city causes great expectation. The cardinals and the pope himself offer him lodging, but the duke wants to be with Ignatius of Loyola.
The news of his return to Spain spread like wildfire. Borja settles in Azpeitia (Guipúzcoa) and accepts all the tests of humility that are imposed on him, among them those of the cook's assistant. Spiritual transformation is accompanied by a physical transformation. He shaves his head and beard and takes the clerical habit on May 26, 1551.
Joan de Austria, daughter of Charles V, widow of the heir to the crown of Portugal, calls Francisco to Tordesillas. The young woman, barely 20 years old, is captivated and makes the company's vows in secret, with the code name of Mateo Sánchez.
In 1554 he was appointed general commissioner of the Company in Spain and Portugal. The duke who has become a priest begins to become the sensation of the times and everyone wants to see him preach, from the poorest to the noblest. Thanks to Francisco's work, the company experienced a notable expansion.
Charles V, already retired in Yuste, asks him to spiritually assist his mother, Queen Joan, confined in Tordesillas, whom he accompanies in her last moments.
The news of the death of Ignacio de Loyola, on July 31, 1556, caused him "loneliness and grief". Already at that time, the Society of Jesus began to have powerful enemies who questioned its work in Spain.
After the death of Charles V (1558) Philip II returned to Spain as king and Francisco perceived the misgivings of the monarch towards the Jesuits. Without the protection of his former mentor, Borja's enemies prepare the assault on his person.
On May 21, 1559, the auto de fe is celebrated in the Plaza Mayor of Valladolid, presided over by Joan de Austria. Father Francisco's intervention saves Ana Enríquez, his daughter's sister-in-law, from death. A few months later, the Inquisition published a catalog of prohibited books, including a work attributed to Francisco de Borja. The Jesuits and their friends at court tried to defend him without success. Philip II washes his hands and the Inquisition continues with its procedure.
To the chagrin of the Spanish monarch, Francisco accepts an invitation from Cardinal Infante Enrique of Portugal and moves to the neighboring country, avoiding his possible imprisonment.
Borja remained in Portugal for almost three years until Pope Pius IV requested his presence in Rome, where he was appointed General Assistant of the Company.
After the death of the second general of the Company, Francisco de Borja is elected as the new General of the Jesuits on July 2, 1565. He is 54 years old and in poor health. As head of the Company, he completes the edition of the rules and the construction in Rome of the house and church of Saint Andrew in the Quirinal.
In 1571, a diplomatic mission takes him to the courts of Spain, Portugal and France. This long journey will become the agony of a Francisco de Borja plagued by illnesses. After a painful and eventful return, he will end up dying in Rome on September 30, 1572.
A century later, Francisco de Borja was canonized in 1671 by Pope Clement X.
His name day is celebrated on October 3.
